garddwr Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 I know this varies pretty widely, I'd like to get an idea of what the average is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=146999&highlight=Cutoff this thread might help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frugalmama Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 Our area is a firm September 1st cut-off, no appeals allowed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 August 31. My August girl is the youngest in her class. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyJoy Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 I voted Sept. because ours (in CA) is being phased in to that month. It used to be Dec. 1, but they're moving it up to Sept. 1 one month per year. Fall of 2012 will be Oct. 1, and Fall of 2013 will be Sept. 1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather R Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 In Alberta it is March 1st. Crazy young! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chepyl Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 In Alberta it is March 1st. Crazy young! That would put my DD in k next year. She is NOT ready! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grover Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 Here kids start school the day they turn five, or any time thereafter until they turn 6 (when they have to start). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyJoy Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 Here kids start school the day they turn five, or any time thereafter until they turn 6 (when they have to start). They just jump in mid-year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 Must be 5 by Sept 15 for K. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennynd Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 Dec 1st in NY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 In my area, they just changed it (effective 2012)from September 30 to, I think, August 1. But you can get in early at the school's discretion until Dec 31. An exception was made after much fuss for my daughter who turned five on January 6. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 At my school it is Oct 1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 5 by Sept. 1 for kindergarten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerPoppy Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 Ours in Ontario is December 31. I wish it was September. My December daughter has always been the youngest or close to it. Back when I was supposed to put her in junior kindergarten, I opted to keep her home, since she was only 3. She did go the following year for kindergarten at age 4. I asked if I could wait the extra year and put her in kindergarten then, so she'd be the oldest instead of the youngest, and they said they "really didn't do that." I didn't push the issue then, but I wish I had. She fits so nicely with the slightly younger kids; those are the majority of her friends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 I went with California's cut-off, which is where I lived when I was hsing. It's December 2; that is, children must be 6 by December 2 to start first grade (kindergarten isn't mandatory, but dc would need to be 5 by December 2 to start kindergarten.). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 I voted Sept. because ours (in CA) is being phased in to that month. It used to be Dec. 1, but they're moving it up to Sept. 1 one month per year. Fall of 2012 will be Oct. 1, and Fall of 2013 will be Sept. 1. I had not heard that. It's about time. December makes dc way too young when they enter school. September is more realistic. Of course, we'll still have discussions about children being "young" for their grade. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketgirl Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 It is July 1 here, my July 6th bdayer here is the oldest in her "class", I tested her with the ITBS after she finished ps kdg and she scored very high... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carpe Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 I thought Alberta's rule was the last day of February (rather than the 1st of March). I'm sure with all the kids born on the first it makes a huge difference. lol It's not so bad though because all the kids are that young. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty in Pink Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 I'm not sure what the date is in my current district. In other districs we have lived in the cut-off has been in early September. That's how we got started homeschooling: my (then) 5yo was reading fluently and working 2nd grade math problems with ease but was ineligible to start school because he missed the cut-off date by about a week. By the end of the school year he was so far advanced in mathematics and reading level that we just couldn't see putting him in kindergarten, so we kept on truckin' with schooling him at home. We liked it so much that we're still doing it nine years later. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nart Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 I voted Sept. because ours (in CA) is being phased in to that month. It used to be Dec. 1, but they're moving it up to Sept. 1 one month per year. Fall of 2012 will be Oct. 1, and Fall of 2013 will be Sept. 1. Close but it is moving to Nov.1 for Fall 2012, Oct.1 for 2013, and Sept 1. for 2014. So there will be approximately 1/12 fewer kindergarten each year for the next three years. The state was supposed to fund a transitional kindergarten program for kids who just missed the cut-off but the governor just cut the funding for that program so it probably won't happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eloquacious Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 Here kids start school the day they turn five, or any time thereafter until they turn 6 (when they have to start). Where is that? I find it curious, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hannah Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 We're "other". I think in most of the Southern hemisphere the school year starts in January. Here kids start first grade in the year that they turn seven and the cut-off is 31 December. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyJoy Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 Close but it is moving to Nov.1 for Fall 2012, Oct.1 for 2013, and Sept 1. for 2014. So there will be approximately 1/12 fewer kindergarten each year for the next three years. The state was supposed to fund a transitional kindergarten program for kids who just missed the cut-off but the governor just cut the funding for that program so it probably won't happen. You're right--I realized I must be off a year after I posted because I was thinking my DS would just miss the cut-off in 2014 with his late Sept. birthday. That will be nice so we can homeschool him at whatever level he's ready for and not report for another year. We can adjust his grade level later if necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grover Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 Here kids start school the day they turn five, or any time thereafter until they turn 6 (when they have to start). They just jump in mid-year? Where is that? I find it curious, too. New Zealand. Yes, children here start whatever day they turn five or sometime between 5 and 6 in a few cases. Most kids start on or the day after their birthday. Yes, that does mean kids are starting constantly throughout the year. The teachers just pick them up where they are and carry on from there. From what I understand our schools / curricula are less structured than yours so it's not an issue for kids to start part way through the year because they're all working at different levels anyway - our classes aren't taught as homogenous wholes / doing certain things at certain times. There will be new classes started mid year for new entrants in most schools, or earlier starters will be moved through to different classes - depending on the school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMD Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 April 1st. Australia schools Jan-Dec, so you have to turn 5 within the first few months of the school year. This is for FYOS, kinder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewingmama Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 In our State - May 1st. Any kid born after that has to wait till the next January to start -which means all my kids will be older K's which is one reason why I am homeschooling - my 4yo can already read and wouldn't start K till the year he turned 6 - talk about being bored :glare: They just changed this though - we used to start the term after the kid turns 5 -we had multiple entry -that means every term there were new kids starting -they finally decided to start them all at the same time starting from 2013. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garddwr Posted March 3, 2012 Author Share Posted March 3, 2012 New Zealand. Yes, children here start whatever day they turn five or sometime between 5 and 6 in a few cases. Most kids start on or the day after their birthday. Yes, that does mean kids are starting constantly throughout the year. The teachers just pick them up where they are and carry on from there. From what I understand our schools / curricula are less structured than yours so it's not an issue for kids to start part way through the year because they're all working at different levels anyway - our classes aren't taught as homogenous wholes / doing certain things at certain times. There will be new classes started mid year for new entrants in most schools, or earlier starters will be moved through to different classes - depending on the school. I assume this is for a kindergarten-equivalent year. When the next school year starts, do they all move up to the next grade even if they just started school the last month of the past school year? Does the multi-level teaching continue throughout the elementary years? This sounds like such an intriguing system. Also makes me wonder if class sizes are generally smaller so the teachers can help each student at their level, or is the entrance year primarily non-academic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joyofsixreboot Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 July 1st. It used to be June 1st. They keep playing with it. They worked under the theory that older kids would deal with the higher demands better, then panicked they were missing all the at risk kids. Back and forth, back and forth. It doesn't inspire much confidence in me when they swing with the flavor of the month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garddwr Posted March 3, 2012 Author Share Posted March 3, 2012 Close but it is moving to Nov.1 for Fall 2012, Oct.1 for 2013, and Sept 1. for 2014. So there will be approximately 1/12 fewer kindergarten each year for the next three years. The state was supposed to fund a transitional kindergarten program for kids who just missed the cut-off but the governor just cut the funding for that program so it probably won't happen. There seems to be a trend right now of states with late cut-offs moving them earlier. I wonder what is driving this? Concern about falling behind other states on standardized test performance? If your students are 1/3rd year younger on average it seems that might be an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhonda in TX Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 I wasn't real sure how to answer the poll. I put August for a cutoff of August 31st. Anyone born after that waits 'til the next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissKNG Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 December 1st. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 Texas was Sept 1. My oldest turned 5 Sept 10th, so he skewed older anyway. Then when we held him back a year, well...he was pretty old in his class! I think the cutoff is also Sept 1 here in VA. I don't like to see 4s start K (in school), as I just feel they should have a little more time. Love the homeschool model, because you can start the academics any time they are ready, but still be all cosy and home-y when they are young. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsBear Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 Here a child must turn 5 on/before July 31 to start K; no exceptions, no waivers, no testing in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mytwomonkeys Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 child must turn 5 before september 1st here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheres Toto Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 New Jersey allows local school districts to set the cut-off date for kindergarten registration as long as it is October 1st or later. My local school has a cut-off date of October 12 for this year. Not sure why they went with the 12th, seems kind of random. I do know that the vast majority of kids with late summer birthdays will NOT start kindergarten the year they turn 5, especially boys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvnlattes Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 I voted August for a cut off date of Aug. 31. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 New Zealand. Yes, children here start whatever day they turn five or sometime between 5 and 6 in a few cases. Most kids start on or the day after their birthday. Yes, that does mean kids are starting constantly throughout the year. The teachers just pick them up where they are and carry on from there. From what I understand our schools / curricula are less structured than yours so it's not an issue for kids to start part way through the year because they're all working at different levels anyway - our classes aren't taught as homogenous wholes / doing certain things at certain times. There will be new classes started mid year for new entrants in most schools, or earlier starters will be moved through to different classes - depending on the school. That is freaking awesome :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wisdomandpeace Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 Here it is Dec. 1st and my daughter (Aug. 10 b'day) was still the youngest in her Catholic school K class. Everyone redshirts here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stansclan89 Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 It is August 31st here. I started at 4yo with a November 21st birthday (I think cutoff was Dec 1st) in an area just outside an Air Force base. That meant I was in class with 6yo kids that had moved in with the military. I remember the 6yo boys picking on me and the teacher refusing to do anything about it. I don't know what she expected me to do--they were a full head taller than me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nertsmommy Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 Here the child must be 5 prior to June 1st before the start of the school year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delighted3 Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 A child must be 5 before August 1st to start kindergarten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluegoat Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 There seems to be a trend right now of states with late cut-offs moving them earlier. I wonder what is driving this? Concern about falling behind other states on standardized test performance? If your students are 1/3rd year younger on average it seems that might be an issue. Here it is the opposite - they went from an October cut off to December. They had been looking at a pre-primary program, but then they changed the dates instead. I think it is a way of getting state-run childcare in myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grover Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 I assume this is for a kindergarten-equivalent year. When the next school year starts, do they all move up to the next grade even if they just started school the last month of the past school year? Does the multi-level teaching continue throughout the elementary years? This sounds like such an intriguing system. Also makes me wonder if class sizes are generally smaller so the teachers can help each student at their level, or is the entrance year primarily non-academic? If you start before a certain date (in many schools it's sometime in April, but can be as late as June, which is the ministry's final cut off) you are year 1 for your first year then year 2 the next year. If you start after that date you are year 0 until December then start year 1 the next year. As an example my DS has a November birthday, so he would have started in November as a year 0 and had about 6 weeks at school, then in the new school year (Jan) he would have been a year 1. Some of those kids who start in the second half of the year and are year 1 in the new school year after they started will move on to year 2 part way through the year. In general kids get between 3 and 6 terms (3 month blocks) at the junior most level of school. Year 0/1 is when you start to learn to read / write / do maths, etc, so it's not non-academic, I don't know how it compares to your K year though. Multi-level teaching continues throughout the primary years, yes. There's no such thing as a set text book for any subject at primary school here. Class sizes - again, I don't know what yours are like to compare, but here a year 0/1 class tries to stay under 18-20, but might get a bit bigger toward the end of the year, and classes in the first two - three years try to stay under around 25-27. Beyond that (years 4 - 8, so about 8 to 13 year olds) class sizes can get bigger, I've taught classes of 35 at this level, which is not much fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MinivanMom Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 In our state children must be 5 yrs old by Sept 1st to start kindergarten. Children who turn 4 by April 16th can test into kindergarten by submitting IQ scores, achievement test scores, a portfolio, and recommendations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennyleettu Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 August 31st here with no appeals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weddell Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 (edited) I have a question about starting dates. Our state, IL, is " 5 by September 1st." Does that mean 5 before September 1st or 5 before or on September 1st? My dd's birthday is September 1. She was born just before 1 am. When she was preschool age I asked our district preschool what year she was supposed to start school and they told me that she missed the cut-off (by less than an hour :tongue_smilie:) and would start school as the oldest and turning 6. I checked the school district website and couldn't find anything that clarified it. Recently I was reading the website of a neighboring school district and theirs specifically said that it was before or on September 1 meaning that the information I got from our district was wrong and she should have started a year earlier. This district (Chicago public school district) was also quite adamant that you start the correct year--which by this point has already passed for us since she is now 6. I think it is a statewide thing, but maybe it is just a district decision and they were both right for their own district. It doesn't matter now as she is already 6 and we moved to India for 2 years, but I'm curious as to what is the correct interpretation. Edited March 4, 2012 by weddell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 must be 5 before the end of March. he school year starters in January, and it isn't compulsory to send your child until they are 6, which means that the first year of school can have children ranging from 4 3/4 through to nearly 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elfknitter.# Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 I live in CA and for my district, we still have the Dec cutoff. So that means ds should be in a gr 1 entering 2 this fall while we'll keep him in 1st through Oct/ Nov of this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 They just changed it here to Aug. 1st. I think it is stupid since both my daughter and my daughter's friend who had mid August birthdays, did really well and are now in college doing really well with the older age group. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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