Placing child in a grade- required legally

[Oops, duplicate account :/]

I have the option of placing my 7 year old as a 1st or 2nd grader on my letter of intent to homeschool. Is there an advantage to choosing a lower grade than he is academically? This is a big step and I'm not sure what people do! Thank you.

[happypamama]

In my state, testing is required in certain grades, but since you set your child's grade, there are people who mysteriously never seem to have kids in the testing grades (3, 5, and 8); their kids go right from grade 2 to grade 4. So putting your child in a lower grade would give you room to skip (on paper) a testing grade without running out of grades too soon.

[kchara]

If it were me, I would put them in the lower grade, especially if you have to test and report the test scores. Then, regardless of where they're actually studying at, when I reported, they would always be only one grade higher. That way, if your child isn't particularly excelling in one subject, it's not nearly as huge of a deal to the state.

[KidsHappen]

If I had it to do over with my youngest, I would have chosen the younger grade. She is doing great academically but school is a big adjustment for a child that has never been and the social drama and pressure are unbelievable. My dd would have been better off being older and more mature than her classmates.

[Ellie]

He should be listed as the grade he would be in if he were in school, according to his date of birth and the cut-off date in your state. It is much less messy this way. You wouldn't believe the weird things that can come up if you play with his grade level.

[Oops, duplicate account :/]

In my state, testing is required in certain grades, but since you set your child's grade, there are people who mysteriously never seem to have kids in the testing grades (3, 5, and 8); their kids go right from grade 2 to grade 4. So putting your child in a lower grade would give you room to skip (on paper) a testing grade without running out of grades too soon.

 

Well, can't say this didn't cross my mind. :) We don't have anything to hide though! Plus, the required percentile is really low from what I understand.The following gave me pause.

 

As a parent, you have the choice of placing your 7 year old in 1st grade or higher. OAR 581-021-0026 (6) Once you choose a grade level placement, you should use it consistently. For example, you should not "hold back" or "skip" your child to avoid the four assessment grades (3, 5, 8 and 10). If homeschoolers do this, we will lose our flexibility to determine when our children are ready for 1st grade.

 

Ds would have to test in grades 3, 5, 8, and 10.

 

Thanks all for you're advice so far!

[Oops, duplicate account :/]

He should be listed as the grade he would be in if he were in school, according to his date of birth and the cut-off date in your state. It is much less messy this way. You wouldn't believe the weird things that can come up if you play with his grade level.

 

Do you have the time to elaborate for a newbie? :D

[missmoe]

I would pick the lower grade. My oldest is finishing high school this year. He is currently 16--soon to be 17 in a few weeks. That's really young to be going off to college. Academically he was always light years ahead of his peers, but maturity wise he is right on track with children his own age. Maturity will only grow with time for your child.

 

I'm holding my two youngest back a year next year. I can already see that they won't be ready to start high school in another year. My youngest tends to want to spend time with older kids. It's not healthy for her. Having her participate with older kids in academic situations does not help.

 

I think for children it's easier to skip ahead then to be held back.

[Unicorn.]

Depends. When is his birthday, and what is his maturity level? All my dc have late summer b-days, and we put all of them in a year later than we could. So basically, the lower grade. They will all graduate HS at 18. Maturity wise, it was the right decision.

[milovany]

Are you *sure* the grade is required? In Washington state, we have to tell the age of our children, but our school district always sends out a Notice of Intent form that asks for their grade (which I've told them is not in compliance with the law). If your law happens to say age, not grade, I'd put that instead.

 

If it does say grade instead of age, I haven't formed an opinion on that. :tongue_smilie:

 

ETA - I just looked at HSLDA's info. page on Oregon, and it just says you have to give the birth date, not a grade. Just for your info.

Edited February 25, 2011 by milovaný

[Mom0012]

I would choose the lower grade. It's no problem to accelerate a grade when they are older if you feel you made the wrong choice, but it can create quite a few problems to hold a child back when they are old enough to know what grade they are in.

 

Lisa

[Oops, duplicate account :/]

Are you *sure* the grade is required? In Washington state, we have to tell the age of our children, but our school district always sends out a Notice of Intent form that asks for their grade (which I've told them is not in compliance with the law). If your law happens to say age, not grade, I'd put that instead.

 

If it does say grade instead of age, I haven't formed an opinion on that. :tongue_smilie:

 

ETA - I just looked at HSLDA's info. page on Oregon, and it just says you have to give the birth date, not a grade. Just for your info.

 

The Notification Of Intent To Homeschool form says this. "If no grade is indicted, a grade for this student will be assigned based on standard age/grade tables." :glare:

 

It sounds like I can skip grades or hold him back in the future. We'll probably start him off at first then, but haven't made our final decision. Thanks all for the input. I greatly appreciate it! I'd love to hear more!

[LisaKinVA]

I've started all of mine off according to the state guidelines. Thus far, the only regret I have is my oldest. He will be doing a "transition year" next year (essentially repeating 6th grade). It isn't a matter of academics... it's a matter of maturity (physical and emotional). He is my late, late, summer baby.

 

My younger boy, at this point, shows none of the same issues, although he would not have passed the K entrance test (physical maturity, immature grip/writing delays). I won't decide until 5th if he'll move forward or do a transition year like his brother...

 

My younger daughter, who is starting K this year, does not have the writing delays, but I think may have an issue with her vision. I don't have to "report" her yet... and I will hold off until after we get through this year and see how she's doing.

 

My other two children both have January birthdays. My oldest dd could easilly handle a full-grade skip (even though, she'd then be the youngest in the class). She has an entirely different personality than her brothers. I wouldn't have said this two years ago, but in the last 18 months, she really blossomed and grew so much... she's really much more on-par with 4th/5th graders than 3rd graders. My boys have never demonstrated that type of maturity.

[Oops, duplicate account :/]

Depends. When is his birthday, and what is his maturity level? All my dc have late summer b-days, and we put all of them in a year later than we could. So basically, the lower grade. They will all graduate HS at 18. Maturity wise, it was the right decision.

 

If I started him in first then he would be age 18 (a few months away from 19, actually) when he graduated. That sounds too old! I'm not sure if this istraditional/appropriate. But, then we could skip him at some point or just start out in 2nd. Hmm. Just a wee bit stressed here.

 

:bigear:

[MeaganS]

:bigear:

 

I'm going to face this in a few years. My daughter's birthday misses the cutoff for Kindergarten by 5 days. In our state (Arkansas), I believe we can also defer Kindergarten a year before officially homeschooling (because she won't have turned 6 by the cutoff). Which essentially means I could have her officially start kindergarten right when she turns 7 years old. I've wondered whether this would be better or worse.

 

My main question was what happens if for some reason I hold her back officially until she's 7 (although she'd probably be starting second grade at home by then) and then need to put her into public school? Would she be forced to attend school at the level I assigned her? Basically, does the grade I assign her have any bearing on her future?

[Oops, duplicate account :/]

If I started him in first then he would be age 18 (a few months away from 19, actually) when he graduated. That sounds too old! I'm not sure if this istraditional/appropriate. But, then we could skip him at some point or just start out in 2nd. Hmm. Just a wee bit stressed here.

 

:bigear:

 

Well this is embarrassing!! He actually would graduate at 17 (almost 18), because I would keep his work at his "real" grade level and not the reported grade level. Duh. :lol: I guess it's time for a cup of coffee! :D

[Mrs Mungo]

I have the option of placing my 7 year old as a 1st or 2nd grader on my letter of intent to homeschool. Is there an advantage to choosing a lower grade than he is academically? This is a big step and I'm not sure what people do! Thank you.

 

I have always chosen to list them as the same grade they would be in if they were in school. I test them on grade level, because then they are being tested next to their peers. It makes things easy when people ask them what grade they are in. It makes it easy for homeschool groups, church and such to split kids up when they ask the kids what grade they are in.

[Ellie]

Do you have the time to elaborate for a newbie? :D

The short answer: I have participated in multiple posts over the last umpteen years in which the parents had held their dc back on paper when the dc were little but now wanted to move them up to where they should have been all along, or from parents who had done just the opposite and didn't want their dc to be graduated early. There have been discussions about which Sunday school class, even, their dc should be in, or should have been in, or wanted to go into, because the parents had messed with their dc's "grade levels" and it had caused problems at church (really).

 

It's just easier to say, "The cut-off date in my state is September 1. Orkie's bday is September 30. If he were in school, he'd start 1st grade when he is 6, and turn 7 a month later. Weird, but such is life. He'll be 'first grade' at home on paper, and he'll be 'old' for his 'grade,' but we'll start working on first-grade-level work the previous year." Or "The cut-off date in my state is December 2. Orkie's bday is September 30. If he were in school, he'd start first grade when he is 5 and turn 6 a month later. Makes him 'young' for his grade, but such is life. He'll be 'first grade' at home on paper, but we'll do kindergarten-level work, maybe first-grade-level; we'll see. He wouldn't be the only 'young' first grader, either in school or at church; it will be fine."

[ELaurie]

If I started him in first then he would be age 18 (a few months away from 19, actually) when he graduated. That sounds too old! I'm not sure if this istraditional/appropriate. But, then we could skip him at some point or just start out in 2nd. Hmm. Just a wee bit stressed here.

 

:bigear:

 

I agree with the other posters - I'd list him as a first grader. By the time he is in HS, he may be enrolled in a cyber school, or taking classes at a local community college. He may be pursuing an internship, or enrolled in a trade school. You may be living in another state; he may graduate from HS early. There area all sorts of possibilities that you can't foresee at this stage in your HSing journey . . . When ds 11 was 7, he was in 1st grade. Turns out - he had some visual processing issues that have contributed to unanticipated learning challenges. I'm glad he has an "extra" year for his writing abilities to "catch up."

[Ellie]

This depends on where one lives. States vary with their cut offs and K requirements. Here in NY I didn't have to start reporting until my son was 6 and 1/2 based on the cut offs. I listed him as K. That is obviously quite old for K, but it didn't raise an eyebrow. I am well within my right to do so. I still work at his level. I only did it to put off testing longer and overall he will be subjected to fewer standardized tests. The standardized testing frenzy is one reason I decided to homeschool so that aspect was important to me.

That was my point. Cut-off dates vary from state to state.

 

Did you keep in him "kindergarten" group activities because of his age? Or did you hold him back because of the grade-level label?

 

Also, when he's 18 and ready to graduate, but on paper you've listed him two grade levels below where he "should" be, will you graduate him even though it doesn't look as if he's had 4 years of high school? (I don't know if NY cares or not; just asking.) Or will you make him wait until he's almost 20? See, those are the kinds of issues that happen down the road when parents muddle with grade level in the beginning.

 

I understand your situation; I'm just point out what happens if this is not thought out early, early on. I've seen it happen multiple times, so it isn't just something I made up in my head (even though it's nice in my head, :D).

[Jen in PA]

I think I may have found the silver lining to PA's homeschool laws. Although we don't technically have to declare a grade at all, we are required to test in 3, 5, and 8. But since we don't have to do ANYTHING official until the child is 8, we have lots of time to decide on grade level before we ever have to deal with the district.

 

The way I'm reading it, you are fine changing the grade level designation down the road so long as it doesn't look like you are doing so to avoid testing. I would go ahead and choose the one that makes the most sense when you factor in academics and social skills/maturity, then just know that he might end up taking tests two years running if you end up grade skipping or repeating a grade. It would be a minor hassle, but still much less testing than ps kids are subjected to.

[Tammyla]

:iagree: Happy day = you're so smart you get to jump a grade...Sad day = you need to repeat grade ___.

 

I would choose the lower grade. It's no problem to accelerate a grade when they are older if you feel you made the wrong choice, but it can create quite a few problems to hold a child back when they are old enough to know what grade they are in.

 

Lisa

[Oops, duplicate account :/]

That was my point. Cut-off dates vary from state to state.

 

Did you keep in him "kindergarten" group activities because of his age? Or did you hold him back because of the grade-level label?

 

Also, when he's 18 and ready to graduate, but on paper you've listed him two grade levels below where he "should" be, will you graduate him even though it doesn't look as if he's had 4 years of high school? (I don't know if NY cares or not; just asking.) Or will you make him wait until he's almost 20? See, those are the kinds of issues that happen down the road when parents muddle with grade level in the beginning.

 

I understand your situation; I'm just point out what happens if this is not thought out early, early on. I've seen it happen multiple times, so it isn't just something I made up in my head (even though it's nice in my head, :D).

 

I do appreciate this! I do want to fully know what the advantges/disadvantages are beforehand. I'm not one for surprises!

 

A couple of things. At home and elsewhere he will be at grade level. In fact, I don't know that I'll tell him otherwise (that he is registered with the state a grade lower) until it's avoidable...probably come testing time. About graduating early, if he's done the work and gets good college entry scores, wouldn't that be okay with colleges and the school district?

 

I like the idea of not having to hold him back, but having the option to skip. And, the lower stress factor regarding testing. He takes much longer to grasp concepts than his younger brother (who excels him in reading and math) and I sometimes wonder if he has learning issues. Dsylexia runs in our family. Both my hubby and his mom had learning issues and still mix things up, but did okay in school. I am using curriculum that is supposed to be good for preventing/helping LD (Phonics Pathways for instance), so I feel good about that, and am just keeping an eye on things. He IS getting it, just slowly but surely with a lot of patience from mom!

 

Anything else I'm not seeing here? Thanks again!

[Oops, duplicate account :/]

Regarding the "did you keep him in K activities", it never came up. The activities he was in weren't based on grade, or they were based on age. We have other issues, however, with finding activities that suit the mismatch of maturity and ability.

 

I can change the grade level when I want. So at the end I can graduate him when he is ready. I suspect he will go to college quite early (14 maybe). So that won't really matter. Also, I can stop reporting at 17 and do whatever I want. There are certain procedures one must go through to go to college in NY if they have been homeschooled. He can avoid this by going to college in another state. Or it can be fulfilled by taking the GED, or 24 college credits can be in lieu of a high school diploma. Because, you know, NY isn't annoying enough to homeschool in. :glare:

 

Yeah, that's annoying alright! I better check out my state's requirements too. Thanks for the heads up.

Edited February 25, 2011 by JENinOR

[musicianmom]

Just chiming in to say that Ellie's post on page 2 really belongs in a FAQ somewhere. I love this answer.

[ocelotmom]

I would choose the lower grade. It's no problem to accelerate a grade when they are older if you feel you made the wrong choice, but it can create quite a few problems to hold a child back when they are old enough to know what grade they are in.

This is not universally true. In some areas, a child has to be functioning at several levels above grade level in order to be advanced a single grade level (or advancement isn't an option at all), even if they were held back initially.

 

I would rather put a child in a lower grade than needed if I had to put him in public school rather than have him be on track for his grade and stuck at a lower level due to a technicality.