In OHIO do you have to start kindergarten at the age of 5?

Question

My daughter isn't mentally ready for kindergarten. She can not focus very well, and I am having trouble getting her to know her letters, numbers, and so on. In Ohio do you have to start them at the age of 5? She will be 6 in December. Can I wait until she's 6 to start school? Do you have to talk to the school board about it, or can I just not send her yet? I would love to keep her at home this year and really work with her using homeschooling kits.

Please Help!!!

Answer 1

I live in the state of Ohio and I am having the same delima for different reasons, my child is not socially ready for kindergarten, I asked an administrator at a local school about this and she stated that the kindergarten teachers she works with would rather the child be older and ready than younger and not.  As an LSW in the State of Ohio, I know that the developmental issues that face children who are not prepared to go to school.  Many times the social stigma of being "different" because of needing more time sucessfully master and develop those basic learning skills can be more destructive than being "older".  The social stigma can be more debilitating than almost anything else.  If you really want to know, call your school and ask.  Talk with your pediatrician and if there are serious learning concerns, perhaps your little one may need to get some extra help mastering the basics from some learning specialists that your dr. could refer you to for further testing.  More than anything, remember to keep learning fun and interesting for the little one and for you.  Perhaps your own "mommy and me" preschool in your home would be a great structured start to getting your child ready for the educational setting of school.  My heart goes out to you, it's so hard to know what the "right" thing to do is, but my mom always tells me "you're the mom, do what you think is best for her, and be ready to back up your choice with good reasoning, like, 'Because I'm the mom, that's why!!'"  Of course she's kidding, but there's some truth to that.  Good luck to you and your little one(s) and don't be afraid to do what you think is right for the both of you.

Answer 2

Keep her at home another year.  You do not have to send your child if you do not want to.  If you can, a good preschool would be nice to help introduce her to some of the procedures and rules at school.  As long as you enroll her next year, the school will not mind.  You might want to talk with the school to see if they have some kind of prekindergarten program, for those students who are old enough for kindergarten but not ready for it.  Hope this helps.

Answer 3

teach you daughter at home.maybe at age 6 she would be ready.just give her sometime.