My child "repeated" a grade ... How to notify our school district?

[Guest WishTheWild]

My daughter attended public school through the 4th grade. Because her birthdate always fell a week or two before the school year began, she was always much younger than her peers. Beginning in kindergarten, her teachers always recommended we hold her back a grade. We never did.

 

We began homeschooling this year, for many reasons. This should have been her 5th grade year. To make a long story short, however, we soon realized that her education was severely lacking (placement testing, etc.). We have spent this year reviewing (and even learning for the first time!) many things she should have already known. Essentially, we have repeated the 4th grade. (Next year will be our first year of classical education, beginning with 5th grade, and we can't wait!)

 

Here is my question:

How do I notify my school district of this change? Should I call or write a letter now? How should I explain this? Or should I just wait until we submit our intent letter for next year, and list 5th grade as the school year, once again?

 

Has anyone else encountered this problem?

 

I would be mortified to be placed on "probation" by the school district.

[chiguirre]

I think the answer will depend on where you live. You might want to post your state to get better responses.

[tajott]

My daughter attended public school through the 4th grade. Because her birthdate always fell a week or two before the school year began, she was always much younger than her peers. Beginning in kindergarten, her teachers always recommended we hold her back a grade. We never did.

 

We began homeschooling this year, for many reasons. This should have been her 5th grade year. To make a long story short, however, we soon realized that her education was severely lacking (placement testing, etc.). We have spent this year reviewing (and even learning for the first time!) many things she should have already known. Essentially, we have repeated the 4th grade. (Next year will be our first year of classical education, beginning with 5th grade, and we can't wait!)

 

Here is my question:

How do I notify my school district of this change? Should I call or write a letter now? How should I explain this? Or should I just wait until we submit our intent letter for next year, and list 5th grade as the school year, once again?

 

Has anyone else encountered this problem?

 

I would be mortified to be placed on "probation" by the school district.

 

in my state I would just not worry about it because we don't need to list grades.

[Guest WishTheWild]

Perhaps, I should mention that we live in Virginia and that we are required to list the child's year in school (grade) in our letter of intent.

 

Also, we have kept portfolios for all of our work this year. We have standardized test scores from the beginning of the year, and plan to take the same tests at year's end. This should be sufficient to show progress.

 

Still, having to spend the year learning the parts of speech, multipllication tables, basic writing skills, etc. (things that should have been learned long ago) has kept us from pursuing a typical 5th grade education this year.

Edited February 26, 2009 by WishTheWild

[Ellie]

I don't see anything on HSLDA's analysis of VA law that says you must indicate a child's grade level on your notice of intent. Check it out. It's possible that your particular county says it's required, but then it is not uncommon for school officials to require things which the law doesn't require. If I were in you place, I wouldn't do it, but that's just me [*evil grin*]

 

If you decide you must, I'd just put the grade level you've decided on and not mention it.

[Colleen in NS]

My daughter attended public school through the 4th grade. Because her birthdate always fell a week or two before the school year began, she was always much younger than her peers. Beginning in kindergarten, her teachers always recommended we hold her back a grade. We never did.

 

We began homeschooling this year, for many reasons. This should have been her 5th grade year. To make a long story short, however, we soon realized that her education was severely lacking (placement testing, etc.). We have spent this year reviewing (and even learning for the first time!) many things she should have already known. Essentially, we have repeated the 4th grade. (Next year will be our first year of classical education, beginning with 5th grade, and we can't wait!)

 

Here is my question:

How do I notify my school district of this change? Should I call or write a letter now? How should I explain this? Or should I just wait until we submit our intent letter for next year, and list 5th grade as the school year, once again?

 

Has anyone else encountered this problem?

 

I would be mortified to be placed on "probation" by the school district.

 

I don't know about Virginia law and hopefully you'll get other responses about that. But, whatever the law is, I would just stick with the law and not tell them any more than you are required to tell. Meaning, if the law doesn't care what grade you list next year or about your reasons why, then list grade 5 next year and don't explain your decision to re-list as grade 5, and don't worry about it. IOW, be confident in what you are doing with your daughter while abiding the law. You might check out the Homeschool Legal Defense website to find out more about the laws in Virginia.

 

EDIT: and there ya go, others said it already while I was typing! :)

 

Just as a hopeful encouragement - there are many of us with kids who are summer or fall babies. My dd was born in Oct. and the cutoff date was Sept. 30. So at first, I started her doing 1st grade level work when she was officially in Kindergarten. This worked fine until she was partway through official 1st grade (with 2nd grade work, esp. in grammar), and things started going over her head. I stopped and backed up to the 1st grade grammar again. Now she's officially in 2nd grade (but turned 8 last Oct.), doing 2nd grade work, and doing fine. The bonus I realized was that I get to keep her around an extra year on the other end! :)

[Tap]

Just call the governing body and ask them. It shouldn't be a big deal since she isn't in high school. Kids do it all the time.

[AuntieM]

I'd just go on and call her a fifth grader. In a year of homeschooling, she'll probably be at or near the appropriate skill level. If not in one year, then certainly within two years. I just wouldn't want to send up any red flags to the state.

[Sara R]

I'd just go on and call her a fifth grader. In a year of homeschooling, she'll probably be at or near the appropriate skill level. If not in one year, then certainly within two years. I just wouldn't want to send up any red flags to the state.

 

:iagree: She wouldn't have been retained had she stayed in public school, correct? She probably isn't even very behind in terms of public school. I would just continue to progress through the sequence of grades on paper for the state, while continuing to teach her on her level.

 

If she ever goes back to public school, you and the school can determine what grade she should be in at that time. Grades matter in public school far more than they do at home.

[Dobela]

I called HSLDA about this situation this last fall. I am in a different state though. My son is just not progressing and I needed to repeat much of the last grade level. Their repsonse for me was to just put the grade I want on the intent forms, turn it in, and don't worry about it. As the primary educator for my child, I know best what level he is and that honestly putting the grade level is what I should do. When I turned it in, no one said anything about the grade level. Months later no one has said anything either.

[lionfamily1999]

My ds had to start out with FLL 1, a grade level behind his actual level in school. We also had to go back and relearn some things in math and science. I'm not telling the school that we repeated grades, why? Because with our review, he's now far ahead his peers. KwIm? You had to review because the school didn't teach it to your dc, what are the odds they taught it to everyone else?

[Pongo]

I don't thnk you have to really tell anyone. When I did this for my son I just submitted his LOI (letter of intent) with the same grade as the previous year. My accepted to homeschool letter came in the mail with the grade from the LOI nobody asked a thing:)

[Sahamamama]

.... will the grade level matter when it comes to testing? I don't know the laws in VA -- we're in NJ, the Homeschool Freedom State! -- but don't you have to test there?

 

If you list your daughter's grade as being farther along than her level of learning actually is (e.g., you list 6th grade for next year, but she's really going to do 5th grade level work), then when it comes time to test, will the state think she's "behind" for her listed grade level?

 

Again, I don't know the laws and applications for your state. Maybe the HSLDA link or an attorney who knows HS laws in VA could help you decide.

[Guest WishTheWild]

.... will the grade level matter when it comes to testing? I don't know the laws in VA -- we're in NJ, the Homeschool Freedom State! -- but don't you have to test there?

 

If you list your daughter's grade as being farther along than her level of learning actually is (e.g., you list 6th grade for next year, but she's really going to do 5th grade level work), then when it comes time to test, will the state think she's "behind" for her listed grade level?

 

Again, I don't know the laws and applications for your state. Maybe the HSLDA link or an attorney who knows HS laws in VA could help you decide.

 

Yes, that's my biggest concern ... the testing. Since I submitted my letter of intent this year for a 5th grade child, and have had to step-back a grade in order to catch her up, she won't be prepared for the 5th grade standardized tests. I can show progress, as we will have our tests from the beginning of the year for comparison, but she certainly won't be at 5th grade level (especially in math). Then again, maybe she's absorbed more this year than I suspect, and she'll do just fine on the 5th grade tests. *shrug

 

At any rate, we plan to "begin" 5th grade next year, a year later than she was progressing through public school. The advice I've gathered from this thread seems to suggest that I just file my letter of intent next year for a 5th grader. I think that's what I'll do, and then just submit before and after test scores to show progress from this year.

 

I thank everyone for the great advice!

 

PS - No testing in NJ? I want to move there! : )

[hitech]

That totally depends on the rules of your state.

Suzanne

[hillfarm]

Should any questions come up, I would calmly explain that your policy is to administer a placement test prior to determining a student's grade level, much as the public school system usually does. Then you can document progress based on mastery and take the tests appropriate for the eduational level of the student.

 

We had an odd situation with dd. She is an Oct. baby, was ready to start at K4, and compulsory school age in Ohio is 6. So with all combined, the first year that we were legally required to account for her "educational whereabouts", we were starting 3rd grade, not kindergarten:confused:. I was often confused about what level to test and what grade. Thank goodness we are not required to declare a grade level in Ohio.