Keeping track of what grade your child is in

[3 ladybugs]

Do you keep track of what grade your child would be if in public school?

 

I am in a non-reporting state, and honestly I didn't think much of it. Then I saw that my church requires students to be in a certain grade for confirmation classes. And last night, DH was asking me where ODS would be if he was in public school. So I looked it up. He would be in either first grade or Kindergarden. He was born 4 days before the cut off so he would either be the youngest, or the oldest in his class. 😕 So now I am not sure where I should measure him.

 

What do you do? Anyone in my boat? What side do you place your child?

[Arcadia]

The libraries here would ask for the grade my kids would be in if in public school.  My boys know what grade to put down for the libraries summer reading programs.  My oldest was born a day before the December cutoff and was the youngest kindergartner when he entered public school. My oldest would be a rising 6th grader and so eligible for the middle school programs the libraries host.  My local YMCA segregate by grade level as well.

[73349]

Having a kid born right in the middle of the academic year, I'm not sure which label I'd pick--probably the younger of the two in DS's case, because he's not very mature for his age.

 

I didn't mind being young for my grade, but I understand that it can be a problem in some situations, such as competitive sports that are sorted by grade level.

 

I did buy DS a Class of 2026 t-shirt from one of the design-your-own-shirt websites, I think Zazzle.com. That might help with remembering the grade once you choose it. :)

[MinivanMom]

There are lots of activities here that divide kids by grade level, so I have always kept track of my kids' grade levels. I assign them to the grade they would be in based on public school cut-offs regardless of where they are working academically. 

 

I don't think the grade designation matters that much, but my kids all know the grade they are supposed to be in . . . which helps when communicating with grocery cashiers.

[kristin0713]

 

I assign them to the grade they would be in based on public school cut-offs regardless of where they are working academically.

 

Same.  My kids were born in February and March though so I didn't have to decide to go up or down a grade.  In your situation, I would decide whether you want him with older or younger peers--but if you are not putting him in an outside class yet then it really doesn't matter.  This is the first year that it mattered for us because most classes we have attended go by age, but DD wanted to join 4H and they go by grade. 

[Ellie]

Do you keep track of what grade your child would be if in public school?

 

I am in a non-reporting state, and honestly I didn't think much of it. Then I saw that my church requires students to be in a certain grade for confirmation classes. And last night, DH was asking me where ODS would be if he was in public school. So I looked it up. He would be in either first grade or Kindergarden. He was born 4 days before the cut off so he would either be the youngest, or the oldest in his class. 😕 So now I am not sure where I should measure him.

 

What do you do? Anyone in my boat? What side do you place your child?

 

I feel very strongly about this, based on the many years I administered an umbrella-type school, was a member and then leader of a support group, and multiple discussions on multiple Internet discussion forums over the last 15 years or so.

 

The simplest and least-painful thing to do is know the cut-off date for first-grade entry in your state, and hang that grade-level label on your child, no matter whether he'd be youngest or oldest in his class, no matter how he's doing academically at home, no matter what.

 

In your case, my strongest recommendation would be that you go with first grade, because that's where his birthday falls. The end. Just be done with it.

 

There have always been children who were youngest and oldest in every classroom in the history of the world, regardless of the cut-off date and their birthdays. It all works out in the end.  I say this as someone whose dh's birthday is September 7, who grew up in a state where the cut-off was December 2. He's mighty glad that his mother didn't make him wait a year before starting school.

[Coco_Clark]

I place my kids where they would be, according to their birthday.  And I suppose I do "keep track" in that my kids are often asked, when out in public, what grade they are in and I have taught them to answer accordingly.  It's short-hand for "how old are you?".

 

Sports teams and other group activities in this area are also often organized by grade and I would do the same.  That's speaking as a mom with a DS that is both immature for his age AND often the youngest in his grade, and another that misses the cut by a mere 2 days.  I think its a bit unfair when folks "red shirt" their kids to give an advantage over their peers.  The line has to lie somewhere.  

[Ellie]

I place my kids where they would be, according to their birthday.  And I suppose I do "keep track" in that my kids are often asked, when out in public, what grade they are in and I have taught them to answer accordingly.  It's short-hand for "how old are you?".

 

Sports teams and other group activities in this area are also often organized by grade and I would do the same.  That's speaking as a mom with a DS that is both immature for his age AND often the youngest in his grade, and another that misses the cut by a mere 2 days.  I think its a bit unfair when folks "red shirt" their kids to give an advantage over their peers.  The line has to lie somewhere.  

 

:iagree: :iagree: :iagree:

[HS Mom in NC]

It's a strong cultural norm in America and even in some segments of the homeschooling community to know what grade a kid is in.  It's extremely rare to actually need to know what "grade" your child would be because age would do the job just fine, but it's too emotionally upsetting for some people to hear, "We don't do the grade level thing because we homeschool.  My kid is ___ years old." You'd be amazed at how many people have been upset when I told them that.  So, for the sake of the emotional well being of the person asking, make sure you and your child know what "grade" s/he is in. Just go with whatever your local ps would say.

 

 

[Dramorellis]

I use the cut-off of the state. It works for DS since he did go to school for K and 1st so we just kept going. He just makes the cut-off by a couple weeks but I still go with it.  I don't think anyone really cares what level of work they are doing when they ask. It is a quick way to tell how old the child is. I find myself doing it too since it's easier and paints a wider picture than just asking when their birthday is.

[SKL]

Personally I would go with the grade my kids would be in if they had to go to B&M school.  (But I am probably in the minority.)  I mean, if your kids are young for 2nd but you would put them in 2nd if they went to school, then I'd call them 2nd.  Or if they are old for K but you'd put them in K if they went to school, I'd call them K.

 

My kids have been in a few things that went by age, and they have been left behind their grade peers.  But most of their camps and activities go by grade level.  So far they always fit better with their grade group vs. age group when it makes a difference.

[happypamama]

My first two children are late winter babies, so they're easy. My last two children are summer birthdays, so they'd be young for their grades, especially the fifth one (late August -- he'd be almost the youngest possible for his grade). My middle child is an October birthday. He's six now. If I had sent him to public school, I'd have pushed to send him at four, almost five, because emotionally, he was ready (far more ready than my oldest son was at six!). But since we kept him home, we called him preK that year, K this past year, and first grade next year. I think it depends on the child. My fifth child is quite a go-getter; in a public school situation, I do not think redshirting him would be a good plan. It would have been good for my oldest son, but then we probably would have skipped first or second, because once he was really ready, academically and emotionally, he was ready.

 

Anyway, I do tell my children what grade they'd be in in public school. It has not much to do with what work we plan, because we do that according to their needs, but it gives them a nice little answer if someone asks, and they don't feel like explaining homeschooling. Our state requires testing in certain grades.

[SilverMoon]

Yes, we do. It just simplifies things. If you would have started him in K two falls ago if he were sent to PS, I'd call him a 1st grader. One fall ago, kindergartner.

 

This has mostly worked for us. Our current state has a late summer cut-off. Some of my kids with fall birthdays started in a different state with a later cut-off. I didn't make them step back a grade when we moved, so we do have to explain that sometimes. For some official stuff, like Math Olympiad, they do have to go down a grade. Since grades don't really matter to a hsed kid this does not bother them.

 

Now my youngest's birthday *is* the cut-off. He'll start K at home this fall, he's definitely ready for gentle academics, but we'd have to think long and hard about starting this year if he were going to a brick and mortar school. We can always stretch years out down the road if needed. The way a late start will affect him the most is Cub Scout rank. Truly. His five older siblings are all scouts and starting Tigers when he turns 6 is a super. big. deal. LOL

[scoutingmom]

My one daughter's birthday is 7 days after the cutoff, but if we lived a mile away (in the same city) she would have been evaluated and allowed to start grade 1 early (she would have been ready). I had a huge decision that year when we notified for homeschooling.

 

It has worked well for us as she moved up to cubs after Beavers early because of the grade she is 'in'.

 

At church they seem to decide which class to put her in each year, lol.

[momof4babes]

I think its a bit unfair when folks "red shirt" their kids to give an advantage over their peers. The line has to lie somewhere.

I'm curious why you think its unfair?

Why can't it just be what's right for that particular child?

 

I don't think its fair to place a speech delayed child who is 3.5 in a class with a NT 4.5 year old, and expect them to read at the exact same pace.

 

Thankfully we won't have to deal with PS again, but if I did, I would "red shirt" my youngest kidding a heartbeat.

[Lori D.]

I speak from the experience of having one DS who was academically "ahead a grade", but very emotionally/physically/socially delayed by 1-2 years all through growing up, and another DS who was physically/emotionally/socially on target, but struggled with mild LDs, putting him "behind grade level" academically for most of our homeschooling.

 

Unless we're talking sports or other activities (and those frequently have age cut-offs, not grade cut-offs), or unless you're in a state that requires homeschoolers to declare using the same age cut-offs as public school students, then I would look at that state age-cut-off, but it would be just *one* factor in considering my student's "grade". It's important to look at the whole picture: the student's academic level, and emotional, physical, and social maturity. Also: any advanced areas? Any LDs or weak areas?

 

 

It dawned on me a few months ago that ds9 will turn 18 10 days into his senior year if I continue using that cutoff. That's when the whole age cutoff thing really hit me. So now I've been considering accelerating him through some subjects a bit more now that he's ready. It seems 3rd/4th grade is a good time to reassess. 

 

… which means he will graduate at age 18, which is the norm. :)

 

 

It dawned on me a few months ago that ds9 will turn 18 10 days into his senior year if I continue using that cutoff. That's when the whole age cutoff thing really hit me. So now I've been considering accelerating him through some subjects a bit more now that he's ready. It seems 3rd/4th grade is a good time to reassess. 

 

The only reason to accelerate a student is if the student is ready to move on to the next level -- age is irrelevant. Some things to consider as you think through accelerating:

 

- Is your DS bored? Does he need more of a challenge?

- Does he have a solid academic foundation so that he is ready to move more quickly into more advanced work?

- Or are some foundational skills weak, and is there a risk of important skills falling through the cracks?

- Are there any weak areas, learning disabilities, social or emotional difficulties, etc. that would benefit by NOT accelerating?

- Does your DS have the interest in school to *want* to accelerate?

 

- Where on the maturity scale has DS consistently fallen for his age and with his peers -- immature, average, mature?

- Who are DSs friends and social peers (age- and grade-wise)? Would accelerating DS move him up closer into the midst of his circle of friends and peers, or move him up and away from his emotional/social group?

 

- Why would graduating at 17 be better than graduating at 18? What advantages would be missed be graduating at 17? Or at 18?

- How would accelerating DS affect participation in sports and extracurriculars -- now, but also esp. in high school? Or is that a non-issue?

 

 

Some future concerns to be aware of:

 

About 6th grade, the rigor of work kicks up a notch; a lot of students who are "just hanging on" to the workload and speed up to that point start to fall off the end of the treadmill at this stage. Also, if there has been a "hidden" issue with reading or writing up to this point, the increased workload and thinking, and increased abstract math topics will often force those hidden issues to the surface.

 

About 8th grade, there is another ratcheting up, as students are often doing some high school credits (Biology, Algebra 1, Foreign Language), and working to nail down study skills and other skills for a smooth transition into high school.

 

__________________________

 

 

I have to respectfully disagree with previous posters about determining grade level *just* going strictly by state age-cut-offs.

 

One of the fundamental aspects of homeschooling is educating and moving your child forward at the child's level. Determining homeschool students' "grade" levels by using the age cut-offs used by state educational boards to funnel large numbers of children into the public school systems is  counter-intuitive to homeschooling. State age-cut-offs are arbitrary, and vary from state to state (this table shows Kinder age cut-offs in 5 months out of the year, depending on the state: July, August, September, October, and January -- which can mean almost a half-year difference in age/maturity for students in the same grade in different states, as there is no national standard of age = grade.

 

I know that sounds like a good plan to go by state cut-offs for listing grades, and then just teach to each student's actual academic level regardless of whether it matches that state grade designation. And that probably works for 80% of students. But getting locked into a grade level track in early elementary ages can be problematic when the student hits high school:

 

- sports eligibility for high school varsity teams (which in turn affects future NCAA college sports eligibility)

- National Merit Scholarships (PSAT test scores in 11th grade)

- student's academic ability to complete required amounts of Science, Math, etc. -- which in turn affects potential college admissions (and potential scholarships!)

 

And the older a student is, the harder it is on the student if you have to adjust that grade level *downward*, if the student is increasingly struggling and really not ready for high school, and it is in the student's best interest to take another year to get solid in foundational stills and emotionally mature to be better prepared for the more rigorous demands of high school. Ug. :(

 

Instead, I would suggest that when forced to make a grade determination, take into consideration ALL that you know about the individual student -- in addition to state age-cut-offs and other administrative concerns -- and determine grade that way. If in doubt and the student just barely made the age cut-off but is really on the edge of being emotionally/academically young, then go for the younger grade designation; if you find your student later on is really excelling, you can easily skip a grade in middle school, or graduate the student from high school in 3 years. It is much HARDER on the student if they are on the young/immature end of the grade level, have struggled to keep up, and finally some time in middle school or even high school you have to "hold back" or repeat a grade. :(

 

Not everyone "red-shirts" for an advantage over peers. In my area, many homeschoolers are schooling at home precisely because they have a child who is out of sync with traditional school -- LDs, emotionally/socially immature, out-of-the-box learner, etc. LOTS of 19yo graduates, and NONE of them played sports or ended up with anything other than average ACT/SAT scores (so no advantage in college admissions or scholarships). Allowing these students to start a little later, or to have more time overall, let them experience success with academics and social relationships.

___________________

 

Wishing all homeschoolers all the BEST in juggling all the pros and cons for each student's grade and age, abilities, and future options/goals! Warmest regards, Lori D.

 

 

ETA: 

 

PS -- In no way advocating that gifted or early maturing students (or students who are just plain ready) should be held back, either. Again, I see it all as "right-sizing" ("right-grading"?!?  :tongue_smilie: ) students. There have been many students on these boards who were ready, willing and motivated from early on, and who end up graduating at 16yo. That is super! They, too, got to have the academic experience that was best for them.

 

I think this tends to be an emotional issue because some of us have students who just don't fit neatly into those grade boxes. ;) And sometimes we accidentally have blinders on and think "well, that's the way it was when *I* graduated", or, "that's just the way it's done around here"… and we forget that our DC don't have to march to the same drum we did, or the same drum going on around us… ;)

 

Warmest regards, Lori D.

[scoutingmom]

Well, I graduated at 17, the summer before I turned 18, and it made sense to me.... being a teen, go to school, graduate then become an adult and go to university (or work). To me, graduation was a step into adulthood and so was turning 18. The other way around wouldn't make sense to me... being a legal adult in high school....ick.

 

No one here is saying that you can't adjust work to fit the student. My 'grade 1 ' student is doing what is a grade 2 math book. My grade 6 student is doing a grade 4 one. Yes, as high school comes it is harder to adjust, but for my student it made sense to put her in the higher grade.

[Amira]

I said my middle son was in the grade that fit his age until he was in high school.  Then we switched and said his grade was the level he was working at which means he'll technically graduate a year early, but he really just started kindergarten a few months early he'll graduate about 6 months before he turns 17.  When he was younger grade=age to people who were asking but it's not quite that simple in high school.

[Momto4inSoCal]

I pulled my girls out of school so they were easy. We just keep them at the same grade they would have been in if they had stayed in school. Actually my younger daughter is working a grade higher now but I still say what her grade would have been in by state standards. My twins have a birthday just past the cutoff date so they would start K at 5 turning 6 a month after they start but we might start them a year ahead. I will most likely for activities put them in the grade according to state guidelines. I don't think its a big deal either way. In fact if they had more friends in the higher or lower grade I would probably go by that. For people asking I would just go by state guidelines.

[3 ladybugs]

I love seeing all the opinions on this!

 

September of 2013, I had just got my baby out of the hospital for FTT. I think I would have forced him to go to school so I could focus on his brother. Looking back on it, I am not 100% sure he was emotionally ready for it though. Now that we are here he is doing mostly 1st grade work and I think at this time next year he will be mostly doing third grade work, so at the end of the day, I guess I should consider him a 1st grader right now. I am just glad I homeschool him because I am not 100% certain he fits in the mold of public school.

[Wabi Sabi]

It's really not that hard to keep track of it, IMO. What parent doesn't know when their child would have started kindergarten? 

I do understand when children are born close to the cut-off for their district, but when asked that's still easy enough to answer with, "Well, Junior has a July birthday, so if he was in school he could be a young 2nd grader or an older 1st grader."

I never ask a fellow homeschooler what grade their child is in (loaded question!), but I do find myself asking new acquaintances what grade their child would be in IF they were in school, yet I'm still a little surprised and maybe even a little annoyed when the answer is something like, "Oh, I don't know! I've never paid attention!" Seriously? At some point Junior's same aged neighborhood pals, Sunday school classmates, peers in dance class or baseball start school and you made the conscious decision NOT to send Junior to school, right? I just don't understand. 

[Momto4inSoCal]

I change my answer to Lori D.s lol. I really haven't put much thought into it but her response makes a lot of sense to me.

[Momto4inSoCal]

It's really not that hard to keep track of it, IMO. What parent doesn't know when their child would have started kindergarten?

 

I do understand when children are born close to the cut-off for their district, but when asked that's still easy enough to answer with, "Well, Junior has a July birthday, so if he was in school he could be a young 2nd grader or an older 1st grader."

 

I never ask a fellow homeschooler what grade their child is in (loaded question!), but I do find myself asking new acquaintances what grade their child would be in IF they were in school, yet I'm still a little surprised and maybe even a little annoyed when the answer is something like, "Oh, I don't know! I've never paid attention!" Seriously? At some point Junior's same aged neighborhood pals, Sunday school classmates, peers in dance class or baseball start school and you made the conscious decision NOT to send Junior to school, right? I just don't understand.

I always wonder how you buy curriculum if you don't know their grade level since a lot of companies go by grade level. I know some like MUS go by skill but those companies are definitely in the minority.

[wendyroo]

I always wonder how you buy curriculum if you don't know their grade level since a lot of companies go by grade level. I know some like MUS go by skill but those companies are definitely in the minority.

Peter has a March birthday, so I'm pretty sure by all state cut-offs he would be classified as a rising first grader.

 

In the fall he will be using a handwriting book with a K on the front. SOTW will say 1, but that is more to show it is the first in the series than to indicate that it "should" be used in first grade. The geography book says 2, math says 3 and science has no number at all.

 

Knowing what grade level the state would officially label him has no bearing on our curriculum choices.

 

Wendy

[idnib]

I have no idea what the cutoff is in my school district. I did have to choose grades, though, to fill out the CA private school affidavit. They ask how many children in each grade. I just picked what I thought was best. I didn't report either of them for K  (not required, more hassle) so I just picked 1st grade in the year I thought was best and upped it each time I filed. Other than that, I don't really bother.

[MerryAtHope]

Most of the time, these types of classes (church, Y, park district etc...) are using "grade" to mean "age." So put your child in whatever grade he or she would be in the school district. For a birthday near the cut-off, I'd probably choose the grade that works best (if it's for sports, smaller kids might go in a lower grade, for example. Or choose by friends, social ability, academic ability etc...)

[Lori D.]

…  I hadn't thought about how old he is and what grade he is placed in since I first signed the Notice of Intent. Because we are in a fairly unregulated state, I just went by the cut-off and went about working with him on his level without thinking about it too much. Just working on the next skill and level, doing our thing. 

 

I haven't made any decisions and I am waiting to see where he ends up in the next few years. I have been planning to accelerate him in math anyway, because I think he can handle it. However, his skills still aren't where I'd like when it comes to reading and writing, making my decision for me for now. 

 

Sounds like a great way of handling things! :)

 

Students change SO much from 1st grade to 6th grade, and then more big leaps forward in late middle school and high school. If no extracurricular or sport or state regulation is requiring you to declare an official grade level, then the longer you can go before making a decision the better, as it allows your student to do any lagging/racing ahead in subject areas that they tend to do up through about 5th grade. ;)

 

Also, it's amazing how *often* people on this board go through one or more 180˚ changes with their students in the high school years, just from 9th grade to 11th or 12th grade, as unexpected opportunities pop up, students suddenly blossom and are ready for college earlier than expected, or life happens and an extra year is what works best… I say all that to encourage you that you really do not need to decide whether or not your student should graduate from high school at age 17 or age 18, when still only working on grade 3 or 4. ;) It will all become clear in good time. :)

 

Enjoy your homeschooling journey! :) Warmest regards, Lori D.

[Momto4inSoCal]

Peter has a March birthday, so I'm pretty sure by all state cut-offs he would be classified as a rising first grader.

 

In the fall he will be using a handwriting book with a K on the front. SOTW will say 1, but that is more to show it is the first in the series than to indicate that it "should" be used in first grade. The geography book says 2, math says 3 and science has no number at all.

 

Knowing what grade level the state would officially label him has no bearing on our curriculum choices.

 

Wendy

 

I guess I'm thinking more about english and math. History and science most people following TWTM will do topically. Either way you know you started x number of years ago and follow a path year by year. Most people won't jump from math 2 to math 4 or anything like that. State cut off isn't really a big deal since we homeschool ::shrug:: I don't think people would second guess you if you said a different grade than what they should be in. Most people don't even seem to know when the state cutoffs are. Ours have been changing for the last 3 years. 

[Sherry in OH]

I always wonder how you buy curriculum if you don't know their grade level since a lot of companies go by grade level. I know some like MUS go by skill but those companies are definitely in the minority.

 

I suspect they do the same thing that those who keep track of grade level do - move on to the next level of the same program when the current level is finished.  When they reach the end of the program or it ceases to work, they select a new program and starting point and continue from there. 

 

My children are accustomed to seeing a range of numbers on the front covers of their texts.  Some numbers represent suggested grade levels, others the books’ placement in their series. We emphasize the child’s ability and interests rather than publisher’s arbitrary numbering systems. 

 

My local school district assigns grade levels to homeschoolers based on birthdates.  The paperwork I submit includes those dates, the paperwork I get back assigns grade levels.  We use those levels for outside activities.  This keeps the children within the same peer groups across activities.   

[TracyP]

My dd has a Sep. b-day, so she missed our cut-off by days. I have kept her in the grade she would be in school, but she has pushed to be grade skipped lately. She should be going into 6th, and I agree that she fits much better in 7th. However, because she will most likely be a full-time college student in 11th, I would like to keep her on the older side of her grade. We haven't made a final decision yet - it won't matter until 11th grade when my state's PSEO program begins.  We have decided to not give it too much thought until at least 9th grade. Until then, I will consider her the grade that she would be in PS.

 

My middle son, otoh, has an August b-day, and the decision to hold him back was an easy one. He fits best in the younger grade in almost every way. He still struggles to work at grade level, but at least it is possible when I consider him in the younger grade. I would have done the same had he gone to PS, so this wasn't even a close call.

 

Generally, I think it is pretty easy to just go with the state's cut-off. But there is more gray area in some situations.

 

I know that sounds like a good plan to go by state cut-offs for listing grades, and then just teach to each student's actual academic level regardless of whether it matches that state grade designation. And that probably works for 80% of students....

 

 

I'm laughing at this, Lori. For 3 of my 5 kids, using the state cut-off and teaching to their level works perfectly. With the other 2, not so much. Yep, 80%. :)
 

[scoutingmom]

I always wonder how you buy curriculum if you don't know their grade level since a lot of companies go by grade level. I know some like MUS go by skill but those companies are definitely in the minority.

 

Well I'm not buying curriculum from companies like that....  I can't think of anything we use that actually has a grade marked on it.     But even if I did, I'd use whatever level was appropriate to their skill and/or interest.

 

So - for example - we are using RightStart for math.   It uses letters instead of numbers (although they do line up to grades in theory.)   Right now none of my students are using the level that would match their grade, although my one daughter is close.

 

For spelling we have used All About Spelling, which does have a level number - but everyone starts at the beginning, so again - not a grade level.

 

For most subjects we use Ambleside Online - which uses Year numbers but they don't necessarily correspond with grades.   My 1st grade student is in Year 1.... the others don't match their grade.

 

Many other things just don't list a grade, although they may have grade recommendations.  My son will be using Apologia's General Science next year.  No grade level listed on it, although there are recommendations on when it is used.  etc.

 

That said - I DO know my kids 'grade level' (although I think at this stage it pretty much doesn't have any meaning to it) - because in my province you legally have to put what grade the student is in when you give them your notification.  (yes, I did check the actual law).  

[RootAnn]

 I think its a bit unfair when folks "red shirt" their kids to give an advantage over their peers.  The line has to lie somewhere.  

 

Living in a state where MANY folks 'red shirt' their boys so they have a sports advantage, I can see your point. However, my two boys will be old for their grade because I chose to let them keep playing vs. start K work when they weren't ready. Some of us don't 'red shirt' for advantage - we let our kids work at the level that is appropriate for them, regardless of their peers.

 

It's really not that hard to keep track of it, IMO. What parent doesn't know when their child would have started kindergarten? 

 

As a mom who has homeschooled since the beginning and one whose kids have always started K work when they were ready (and not always on a school calendar timeframe), I pay very little attention to when their same-age-peers start K. We've had a cut off date switch between my oldest & my youngest and it would have affected my youngest. I know a few homeschooling moms of many who don't pay attention to when their kids would be starting K since we don't really have anything to do with the local schools or their guidelines. I actually only run into the school issue when I take my kids to their pediatrician. The office ladies always want to know what grade the kids are going into so they can do the "Kindergarten assessment" or the "7th grade shots" or the "high school" whatever.

 

I always wonder how you buy curriculum if you don't know their grade level since a lot of companies go by grade level. I know some like MUS go by skill but those companies are definitely in the minority.

 

I guess I'm thinking more about english and math. History and science most people following TWTM will do topically. Either way you know you started x number of years ago and follow a path year by year. Most people won't jump from math 2 to math 4 or anything like that.

 

Some of us have had kids take 2 years to get through one math book or 1 year to get through 2 math books. The number on their math book doesn't correlate with a grade level in my house. While some of our Language Arts (grammar, mostly) programs have had numbers on their covers, I don't use them that way. I have kids who share materials & others who do the level that is appropriate for them regardless of any level number on the cover.

 

My kids are the type who don't know their grade level because I call them whatever grade level is appropriate for the activity we are signing up for. I have an official grade level for the state paperwork, they have the grade level for each subject they are working at, and we flex through those levels depending on if we are signing up for camp, art class, or summer reading at the library. Sports around here for the non school people is mostly based on age - not grade level. We'll probably be making some "when will you graduate" decisions for my summer & fall babies when it is time to take the PSAT.  :mellow:

[Farrar]

I also have kids who make the cut off just barely (three days for us). They miss it by most of a month in the adjacent jurisdiction, where most of our friends live. It's genuinely more awkward than for others to be in this situation. I go by the date and the law - there's no way to red shirt a child who is homeschooled legally speaking where I live and the compulsory schooling age is 4.5 yo so it's not like we could have followed that. I do feel like if my kids had been headed to school, we'd have had a real decision to make, but as it is, they're not far off from their legal grade level (ahead on some things, behind on others, about right for others... seems fine to me), so I don't fret about it. I have found that most classes and sports teams - at least the less competitive ones - don't have firm rules about this.

 

I have read on this board that being in one grade or another can close some high school kids out of some programs, but when I looked at that, it seemed to be that NO children born in the fall could win no matter which grade they chose. Fall birthday children just were not allowed in those programs no matter what. So I guess the lesson is... don't have your kids in the fall.

[FairProspects]

I also have kids who make the cut off just barely (three days for us). They miss it by most of a month in the adjacent jurisdiction, where most of our friends live. It's genuinely more awkward than for others to be in this situation. I go by the date and the law - there's no way to red shirt a child who is homeschooled legally speaking where I live and the compulsory schooling age is 4.5 yo so it's not like we could have followed that. I do feel like if my kids had been headed to school, we'd have had a real decision to make, but as it is, they're not far off from their legal grade level (ahead on some things, behind on others, about right for others... seems fine to me), so I don't fret about it. I have found that most classes and sports teams - at least the less competitive ones - don't have firm rules about this.

 

I have read on this board that being in one grade or another can close some high school kids out of some programs, but when I looked at that, it seemed to be that NO children born in the fall could win no matter which grade they chose. Fall birthday children just were not allowed in those programs no matter what. So I guess the lesson is... don't have your kids in the fall.

 

Yes, this. This is a genuinely difficult decision for some of us with kids born in a couple month span because of so many factors and varying cutoffs for organizations. I don't think judgements should be made either way. There are days I really wish I had never had a late summer baby. It would have been so much easier if he had been born in any month other than July or August.

[hornblower]

I always wonder how you buy curriculum if you don't know their grade level since a lot of companies go by grade level. I know some like MUS go by skill but those companies are definitely in the minority.

 

I would just buy 'the next thing' if it was a curriculum I already used,  &/or use placement tests.  

 

I really did not pay attention to grade levels & more than once I had to write out the 3 columns

 

year of birth/age/grade

 

& figure out where the kids were officially.  It just wasn't a big deal to us to actually remember.

 

I know my kids weren't unique in not knowing. A local college kinesiology program offered to run multi age homeschool gym classes (put on by college students under the supervision of their profs & part of their coursework). First day they tried to get the kids to sort themselves based on grade.  Chaos ensued LOL. Kids knew their age but not their grade. 

[Coco_Clark]

I'm curious why you think its unfair?

Why can't it just be what's right for that particular child?

 

I don't think its fair to place a speech delayed child who is 3.5 in a class with a NT 4.5 year old, and expect them to read at the exact same pace.

 

Thankfully we won't have to deal with PS again, but if I did, I would "red shirt" my youngest kidding a heartbeat.

Well, what I said was that it's unfair to redshirt a child to give him advantage over his peers. I did not say it's unfair to place delayed children where they appropriately belong. That used to be called holding children "back" back in the days that sort of thing was even allowed and it was done fairly regularly. I'm not that old and I remember plenty of kids doing kindergarten twice. I was also talking about sports teams and activities- not school.

 

But I will explain.

 

When I see kids red-shirted, and I do, often, it's because a. "I want him to be the biggest on the sports team!" or b. "I want him to be the oldest/most mature in the class, not the youngest and wiggliest, so I'm doing one more year of preschool." I get the reasoning in both cases, I really do. But SOMEONE has to be smallest and SOMEONE has to be the youngest. Rampant red-shirting means my 5 year old kindergartener was expected to compete with 7yos in the field and classroom.

 

And since many kindergarteners in this area are (non delayed) 6 and 7 year olds, who have spent several preparatory years in pre-k classrooms, the standards rise, which makes it even harder for the 5yos who are proportionately from the kinds of families that did not drop a few thousand dollars in pre-k classes and are honestly a lot more likely to be delayed in the first place.

 

For the record, my children begin being homeschooling when I feel they are ready, whatever that age may be. For one it was "late" for another "early". They both work both above and below their "grade level" depending on the subject. And I place them in SPORTS and ACTIVITIES according to their birthday-given grade.

[momof4babes]

Well, what I said was that it's unfair to redshirt a child to give him advantage over his peers. I did not say it's unfair to place delayed children where they appropriately belong. That used to be called holding children "back" back in the days that sort of thing was even allowed and it was done fairly regularly. I'm not that old and I remember plenty of kids doing kindergarten twice. I was also talking about sports teams and activities- not school.

 

But I will explain.

 

When I see kids red-shirted, and I do, often, it's because a. "I want him to be the biggest on the sports team!" or b. "I want him to be the oldest/most mature in the class, not the youngest and wiggliest, so I'm doing one more year of preschool." I get the reasoning in both cases, I really do. But SOMEONE has to be smallest and SOMEONE has to be the youngest. Rampant red-shirting means my 5 year old kindergartener was expected to compete with 7yos in the field and classroom.

 

And since many kindergarteners in this area are (non delayed) 6 and 7 year olds, who have spent several preparatory years in pre-k classrooms, the standards rise, which makes it even harder for the 5yos who are proportionately from the kinds of families that did not drop a few thousand dollars in pre-k classes and are honestly a lot more likely to be delayed in the first place.

 

For the record, my children begin being homeschooling when I feel they are ready, whatever that age may be. For one it was "late" for another "early". They both work both above and below their "grade level" depending on the subject. And I place them in SPORTS and ACTIVITIES according to their birthday-given grade.

That I do understand that. I can't imagine holding a child back to give them an advantage over their peers. :(

I can't imagine kindergarten would be much fun for a 7 year old either.

 

Where I live we are not " allowed" to hold back, or red shirt.

I have had the frustration of having my late birthday 3.5 year olds struggle, and feel stupid.

My DD was simply not ready to read until closer to 7, but the school expected her to be reading when she was still 5 in grade one.

[Mom-ninja.]

I do. Just because people ask and my kids ask what grade they would be in if they were in school. It has nothing to do with the level of academic work, of course. 

 

I don't have kids close to the cut off date. My fall baby was born in November so several months after the cut off. 

 

Ultimately, it doesn't matter what grade you say he is unless you plan on putting him in school. They'd probably test him at that point to see where to place him anyway since he could go either way. 

 

It's nothing to stress about. 

[Alice]

What we ended up doing was against what seems to be the norm, but ended up working fine for us. My oldest has a Nov birthday. The year he was turning 5 in Nov he seemed ready for K so I said "sure let's call him K". The next year he was doing 1st grade work and we called him 1st grade, etc. So he's effectively a year young for his grade if you base it on the public school cut-off.

To be honest, it wasn't a decision I thought about that much. I was partially influenced by the fact that I skipped a grade when I was a kid and was always the youngest by far (my birthday is in the spring) and it never bothered me at all. So I didn't really see a lot of negatives based on my own experience. I kind of felt like I should call him the grade he is based on the work he can do. He also was emotionally ready. He was a kid who did well playing with kids slightly older than himself or his own age and if he had not been homeschooling I would have seriously considered putting him in private school K that year. He is also physically on the big side, he has been 75-95% for height since he was a baby. He is now 11 and going through puberty so actually fits in physically much better with the kids in his grade (going into 7th) rather than the grade he would be in by cut-off. I didn't know at the time that would be true except for the fact that both dh and I went through puberty on the early side and had our growth spurts early. 

 

I ended up doing the same thing for his brother, who has an October birthday. I was a little more unsure by that time if it was the best choice. I didn't regret having C. start early but by that time I realized that most people around here red-shirt boys who have Aug and Sept (and even June and July) birthdays so that effectively C. is often the youngest by quite a lot in his grade. Like I said, it hadn't caused any problems but it did make me doubt a bit more. But in the end I decided I wanted to treat the brothers the same. H. was also ready in a similar way to his brother (physically, emotionally, socially, academically). 

My third child was born in Sept. before the cut-off so that was easy. :)

 

I'm not posting to advise people to do what we did, necessarily. But I always see these threads and feel like someone might benefit from knowing that you can do it differently than the norm and it will be ok. Both my boys kind of like being the youngest but they don't really seem to think about it a lot.  Maybe that is just them or maybe because we've just never made it a big deal. It hasn't been an issue for sports, although I can see it might have been if they were small or average for their age. They also tend towards more individual sports anyway, and oldest swims which is by age and not grade. The only class that it's ever been an issue for is, somewhat ironically, a homeschool co-op that made us wait to join until oldest met the cut-off for 1st grade. Everyone else has just accepted that he is the grade he is. 

 

 

[SilverMoon]

What we ended up doing was against what seems to be the norm, but ended up working fine for us. My oldest has a Nov birthday. The year he was turning 5 in Nov he seemed ready for K so I said "sure let's call him K". The next year he was doing 1st grade work and we called him 1st grade, etc. So he's effectively a year young for his grade if you base it on the public school cut-off.

To be honest, it wasn't a decision I thought about that much. I was partially influenced by the fact that I skipped a grade when I was a kid and was always the youngest by far (my birthday is in the spring) and it never bothered me at all. So I didn't really see a lot of negatives based on my own experience. I kind of felt like I should call him the grade he is based on the work he can do. He also was emotionally ready. He was a kid who did well playing with kids slightly older than himself or his own age and if he had not been homeschooling I would have seriously considered putting him in private school K that year. He is also physically on the big side, he has been 75-95% for height since he was a baby. He is now 11 and going through puberty so actually fits in physically much better with the kids in his grade (going into 7th) rather than the grade he would be in by cut-off. I didn't know at the time that would be true except for the fact that both dh and I went through puberty on the early side and had our growth spurts early. 

 

Every kid is so different though. This is basically what happened with my boys. Both are on the small side for their age, so it wasn't based on size. My oldest with a November birthday was also "ahead" as a wee one. We lived in an area where bright 4yo kids were starting kindy in public, so it seemed natural to start him then. I was the kid who was held back with an October birthday and my most common memory from school is sitting in a desk reading a book while everyone else did the work I finished eons ago. I was bored. What we didn't know would be true by DS/11th's junior high years was that he'd *really* need another year to mature. We spread 6th and 7th grades out to last three years, and it was absolutely the right decision for him in every area of his life. In hindsight we could have "held him back" a year on paper and it would have worked out fine. Not being in the same Sunday School class as his best friend would have been the only snag.

 

My second DS has an early December birthday, ten days behind his older brother's. We deliberated the fall he would turn 5. He was starting to read and did stuff like calculate correctly that his brother must have started K at 4 so he should be starting that year. Okay. Fine. Start K.  There were a few times in mid-elementary that I was pretty concerned about this being the right path for him.  This year he's a rising 7th grader and more than ready for the challenge of junior high work. He's starting the math competition scene this year, and will have to compete with the 6th graders because the state we're in now has a rigid Sept. 1 cut-off. Since this gives him more years to compete he's fine with this. (It's a homeschool team, so having redshirted kids older than him isn't very likely.) If we held him back a year he'd be even more "ahead" and still prefer playing with older kids. 

 

The same decision affected my boys in very different ways. My third DS will turn 5 on the cut-off day. He's not beginning to read, can't count to ten reliably, but can be brilliant for figuring out detailed tasks and making connections. I'll start K work with him this year because he's ready for it, and if it weren't for Cub Scouts I'd just wait a few years to declare his official grade. :tongue_smilie:

 

My girls have more convenient birthdays. LOL The late winter and early summer birthdays were obvious. The September birthday is ahead in every subject, but she stays in the slightly past the cut-off grade regardless of the number on her books.