Should this child be considered 2nd grade or 3rd grade??

[diaperjoys]

I'm in a quandry as to where to officially place our oldest son. I know that "grade" doesn't matter a ton in homeschooling, but I'll need to choose what grade to put down for the records, & choose which standardized test to give him, etc.

 

We schooled at home for K, and 1st, and then placed him in a Classical Christian School. Even though he tested academically into their rigorous 2nd grade, we placed him in 1st for maturity reasons, and it was really clear that is where he needed to be. So he did 1st grade twice.

 

Fast forward to today. We're homeschooling again, and plan to continue. I bought 2nd grade materials for him, figuring to pick up where we left off. But it was immediately clear that much of it was too easy for him. So now he's doing 3rd grade work in every subject except math. In math he's doing CLE 2 & thriving.

 

So, where do I officially place him? Is he a 2nd grader, doing higher level work in some areas? Or is he a 3rd grader, working at his own pace in math? Which level standardized test should he take? He's 8 years old, and thinks he should be in 3rd grade. I'm fine with that, but I don't want to create problems for him if there is something I'm not seeing here...

Edited September 7, 2011 by diaperjoys

[Lily_Grace]

If academically he is working at a third grade level I'd test him at a third grade level. The rest of it wouldn't matter.

[zenjenn]

Test him where you want to test him, and use what materials you want, but I'd "say" he's in 2nd grade. That is pretty typical for a child who starts the year as an 8 yr old. He also already identifies as a 2nd grader based on precedent, and it may be more appropriate maturity-wise for him to end up placed with 2nd graders for any extracurriculars you decide to participate in.

 

But have him do the work he's ready to do. I have a 1st grader (squarely 1st grade based on age), and all our curriculum choices for her are at a 2nd or 3rd grade level, and I may have her take a 2nd grade standardized test this year. But we tell her she is in 1st grade. Emotionally that is where she is. It makes her feel good to see grade 2 or grade 3 on her books, but when sometimes she wants to read a 1st-grade level book or do a 1st grade level activity (and some things are labelled as such) she feels OK doing that, and I want her to feel OK about that, because emotionally she is a 1st grader. Yes, even with her super advanced reading level, she will choose easy readers quite often because of content and style that appeals to her as a 6 yr old. She will also read archaic old children's books with with difficult language and we don't stop that, either. If people ask, we say she is in 1st grade, and I have taught her that it is not appropriate or polite to boast about her "higher level" books, and have knocked her down a peg on more than one occasion by reminding her that there are plenty of areas where she still needs to improve & mature even if they aren't academic. I do think she would get awfully smug if we told her she were in 2nd or 3rd grade.

 

Also in MANY states, IF you ever want or need to use the public school system, they WILL place him grade-level wise based on a birthday cutoff of Sept. 1st (and my older child is that way - birthday of Sept. 4th, but in her case it works to her academic advantage to be older because she has a learning disability.) A few states have a cutoff as late as Dec. but very few. Just another tidbit in favor of saying he's in 2nd - is no big shocker for him if he ever ends up enrolled in public school in a state with a Sept. 1st cutoff. (Some states even have summer cutoff dates.)

Edited September 7, 2011 by zenjenn

[JudoMom]

When did he turn 8?

[diaperjoys]

When did he turn 8?

 

At the end of June.

[zenjenn]

Wait, I guess I was confused, so he is turning 9 this school year? That would put him in 3rd by most measures. I was assuming he was barely 8.

[Jumping In Puddles]

Wait, I guess I was confused, so he is turning 9 this school year? That would put him in 3rd by most measures. I was assuming he was barely 8.

 

He won't turn 9 until the school year is over though! (Assume the OP ends school by end of June)

 

My dd turned 7 in June but will be 7 the WHOLE school year. Many, many of her 1st grade peers will turn 7 in Sept, Oct., Nov. etc. So she is the oldest in her class by a few months but if she were in 2nd grade... she would be seven the whole time she is in 2nd grade, not turning 8 until the school year is done.

 

With some kids, it doesn't matter and they are able to be newly 5 and start kindergarten and easily fit in and be the youngest in the class but some thrive by waiting a year.

[SailorMom]

June is a young 3rd if you did place him there.

Think about High School - he wouldn't turn 18 until after he graduated if you moved him to 3rd now.... of course, he'll be 18 all year if you keep him in 2nd....

ANyway - at this point because he's so young, you could keep him in 2nd with no problems.

However, if he is working at a 3rd grade level, the 2nd grade tests aren't going to give you much feedback.

[boscopup]

If he'd fit in socially with 3rd graders now, I'd go ahead and call him 3rd grade. It sounds like this private school was doing some things ahead of grade level? I've heard of schools doing that (like using Saxon ahead of level, etc.).

 

My son is a June birthday also. We didn't redshirt him, since he would have been bored academically. Socially, he could have gone either way. He technically gets along better with kids a year younger than him (where he ends up the leader), but he's also tall, so he fits in fine in his age-grade level. Academically, he's all over the map. I just use whatever fits him in each individual subject.

[Mom0012]

I'm in a quandry as to where to officially place our oldest son. I know that "grade" doesn't matter a ton in homeschooling, but I'll need to choose what grade to put down for the records, & choose which standardized test to give him, etc.

 

We schooled at home for K, and 1st, and then placed him in a Classical Christian School. Even though he tested academically into their rigorous 2nd grade, we placed him in 1st for maturity reasons, and it was really clear that is where he needed to be. So he did 1st grade twice.

 

Fast forward to today. We're homeschooling again, and plan to continue. I bought 2nd grade materials for him, figuring to pick up where we left off. But it was immediately clear that much of it was too easy for him. So now he's doing 3rd grade work in every subject except math. In math he's doing CLE 2 & thriving.

 

So, where do I officially place him? Is he a 2nd grader, doing higher level work in some areas? Or is he a 3rd grader, working at his own pace in math? Which level standardized test should he take? He's 8 years old, and thinks he should be in 3rd grade. I'm fine with that, but I don't want to create problems for him if there is something I'm not seeing here...

 

My son has a birthday close to the school's cutoff date and I held him back. I've been happy with that decision and it's been the right one for him both academically and socially.

 

It sounds like you held your son back, and while it may have been right at the time, he does not need to be kept back now. From what you have said, I would call him a 3rd grader. CLE Math moves at a faster pace than many other programs, so CLE 2 would easily be the equivalent of many other third grade math programs, maybe minus a topic or two. So, he's probably close to third grade level in math as well.

 

Lisa

 

ETA: If he went into public school, would he be in 3rd grade now? I guess I had originally thought that was the case, but after reading the other posts, I'm not as sure. Personally, I would only call him a third grader if you had held him back and were feeling like that was a mistake. I don't think I'd jump him a grade just because he's working a little ahead this year unless that's feel where he should be socially. The big thing to me is, where does he fit in with his peers?

Edited September 7, 2011 by LisaTheresa

[abbeyej]

In our area a *boy* with a June birthday in *public* school would generally be a 2nd grader (the year he turns 8), not a 3rd grader. Considering that maturity-wise he fits better in that group *and* he's not working at a 3rd grade level across the board, I would continue calling him a 2nd grader.

[TKDmom]

My oldest has a late Aug. b-day. She started PS Kindy when she was 4 (almost 5), because of the way the school system does their cut-off dates. She is now in 5th grade and working at a 5th grade level in every subject except math, where she's only partway through MM 4A.

 

When I do standardized testing with her, I have her tested at the level she would be in PS. She scores lower in math than in other areas, but she's still around 50th percentile. I think the testing would be much less worthwhile if I had her tested at a grade level lower--I think she'd just be getting 98th percentile across the board, and I'd have very little info on where her weaknesses actually are. My biggest concern has always been her writing abilities. As a 5 or 6yo, she just didn't have the fine-motor skills for writing that her peers did. Now that she's approaching middle school that is no longer a concern. She may not be writing the 5 paragraph essays the her PS friends do, but she can write easily and well, and I'm confident that she'll be in a good place writing-wise once we get through a middle school writing program.

 

Really, you have to decide this on an individual level, but if math is the only thing holding you up from calling him a third grader, I would keep him in 3rd grade and make math a priority every day so that he continues to progress. If you still feel that maturity is a problem... well that's a tough call.

[EKS]

If you give him the PASS test (if it is accepted in your state) you can give him different levels of math, reading, and language. Very helpful for a kid who is on different levels in different subjects.

[mrs.m]

At the end of June.

 

 

2nd grade but working at his own pace.

[KS_]

Well, my dd has a July birthday and turned 10 this summer and is in 5th grade (and this agrees with the cut-off dates here). So she would have been 8 all her 3rd grade year.

[sagira]

My son is a June birthday also. We didn't redshirt him, since he would have been bored academically. Socially, he could have gone either way. He technically gets along better with kids a year younger than him (where he ends up the leader), but he's also tall, so he fits in fine in his age-grade level. Academically, he's all over the map. I just use whatever fits him in each individual subject.

 

My ds8 just turned 8 on September 2. He'd be starting 2nd grade in public school, but in hs I put him in 3rd. He's all over the map too, academically. Socially, I would say he's still immature (a kid, really), just because he hasn't learned the school codes of being "cool" and such. I like that. He has older friends, friends his age, and younger friends.

[Ellie]

Whatever grade he would be in if he were in school, according to when his birthday is and the cut-off date in your state, even if that means you'll skip a grade on paper this year to get him there.

[ChandlerMom]

HOw far behind is he in math?

 

Sooo many kids are red-shirted (don't start K until 6yo), he's probably more typically a 2nd grader. If you think he's likely to go back into ps or into sports, I'd use 2nd grade. Boys usually do better being the older in their class than being the youngest.

 

If he's not *that* behind in math, how would he respond to a challenge? Tell him if he can get caught up in math this year, you'll move him up. If he's close, you can do it now (make him happy by placing him in 3rd) with the condition he works hard at his math this year (and or thru the summer). Or tell him he was never a 2nd grader, so he is now, but if he's ready for 4th grade in all subjects next year, you'll consider skipping him to 4th.

 

I guess it comes down to whether you think he can get up in math or whether he would struggle too much. I really think you could go either way.

 

Usually, I'd go by the levels completed and/or lowest subject, unless I could use it to motivate dc. Level of work isn't too relevant, unless he was working at high 3rd grade/4th grade level, then maybe 3rd. I'd rather my kid be an accelling 2nd grader than a struggling 3rd grader, kwim?

 

My 8yo is 3rd grade even tho she's started preAlgebra (usually 6th grade, but we'll do it for 2 years) and 5th grade LA. Since she's uniformly "ahead" I could skip her, but I don't see the point. I just use materials at her level and feel like it preserves the ability to dawdle if/when she hits something that is hard for her. It also means she'll be eligible longer for any state programs that might be available for CC classes or the like. So in our case my 8yo is in a "grade" much lower than her level, and we're both cool with that. She's a perfectionist and is happy to be "ahead" of her age mates, but I don't know how she'd deal with being "behind".

 

Soooo...idk. :lol: No answers, just some things to consider and see how YOU feel. Good luck!

[abbeyej]

Whatever grade he would be in if he were in school, according to when his birthday is and the cut-off date in your state, even if that means you'll skip a grade on paper this year to get him there.

 

But it's not *that* cut-and-dried. In our state, the official cut-off is September 1. The unofficial cut-off (particularly for boys) is June 1, though May birthdays are often held back for the next year as well. A child with a summer birthday could well go either way.

 

And since this particular child would have been in 2nd had he stayed in school *and* is working at a 2nd grade level in a core subject, I think 2nd makes the most sense.

[snowbeltmom]

In our area a *boy* with a June birthday in *public* school would generally be a 2nd grader (the year he turns 8), not a 3rd grader. Considering that maturity-wise he fits better in that group *and* he's not working at a 3rd grade level across the board, I would continue calling him a 2nd grader.

 

This is true in our area as well. In fact, one of the private all-boys school has a firm cut-off date the end of March. Both of my boys have late summer birthdays. One just turned 15, and we are considering him a sophomore; the other just turned 13 and we are considering him a 7th grader. My 7th grader's 3 best friends are all older than my son, and all of them are in the 7th grade this year.

[Starr]

It doesn't matter. His birthday is one that often causes parents to wait another year to start school. What curriculum you use doesn't matter. If you are going by curriculum then being a year behind in math might stay with you. Keep him in 2nd and increase the language arts. But it really boils down to when you want him to graduate from high school and even that can be changed later. The older I get, the less rushed I think our kids need to be. :)

[hmschooling]

I'd go with 2nd. That's easier if you need to bump him up later than to have to hold him back later. I call them for "legal" purposes, the lower grade and let them work on whatever level they are at. In fact, my oldest works at a 4th-6th grade level and by age, is 5th grade. I just put her as 4th b/c she is a very young 5th and there are also maturity issues. So in church, etc. she is a 4th grader, though she works on multiple levels. I don't want her to graduate at 16/17. But, if I should need to bump her up later, that is much easier to do than put her as 5th and then need to have her "repeat" a grade later when the grade name is more important to them. At this rate, we could do dual enrollment her senior year of high school instead of doing her freshman year of college.

[LisaKinVA]

I would call him a 2nd grader. Give him materials at the level he needs. For testing, if it's for YOUR purposes, I'd go ahead and use the 3rd grade test. If it's for the state purposes... I'd give him the 2nd.

 

My children take two standardized tests. The CAT at their "grade level" for the state, and then the ITBS at the level they are performing (for me). More tests than I'd like... but that way the state gets what they want, and I get the information I need... without worrying!

[chiguirre]

We schooled at home for K, and 1st, and then placed him in a Classical Christian School. Even though he tested academically into their rigorous 2nd grade, we placed him in 1st for maturity reasons, and it was really clear that is where he needed to be. So he did 1st grade twice.

 

I'd stick with the B&M grade he'd be in and just work ahead where he can. Depending on where you live, most kids with summer birthdays will be red-shirted, so if you don't, your child will be the youngest in his class. Even if he can keep up academically, it might be hard on him socially and he'll be one of the last to get a driver's license or be able to get a job.

[butterflymommy]

My DD is 8 and doing 3rd grade or higher work in everything but math, in which she's about 1/4 year behind (almost caught up!)... I consider her 3rd grade. In "regular" school so many children are woefully behind in every subject yet are still considered in whatever grade their age would place them in. Can you push just a little in math? This is what I'm trying to do with DD.

[Momling]

That's a tricky one!

 

I usually say go with the birthday, not with the skills... so that would be third grade.

 

But, on the other hand, he was most recently identifying himself as "first grade". So second grade makes sense... especially with a summer birthday.

 

I agree with the previous posters to consider when you want him to graduate. If in doubt, go with second grade. It's easier to 'skip' later on than to hold back.