Our daughter turns five in 2008 NOV,is there a way for her to go to 1st grade in TX public school in 2009?

Question

Our daughter turns five in 2008 NOV, She was born in CA.

ideally if she were in CA she would have gone to Kinder Garten in 2008 without any age issue as the cut-off date in CA is DEC 02, but recently we moved to TX from CA and now we are in TX where the cut-off date is AUG for TX public schools due to which she'll loose one year according to CA norms (cut-off date) and she can only go to kinderG in 2009 which is our main concern. My question is... is there any way where she can gain that year even in TX and go to 1st grade in TX in 2009 just as if she is in CA. Please throw some light on this and let us know if there is anything we can do. Our thinking is if she finishes KG in 2008 else where, say from a private school, can she go to 1st grade the following year in TX. Please let us know if there are any suggestions and advices. Thank you

Answer 1

So essentially you are wanting your child to go to kindergarten at the age of four?

There are reasons that schools do not allow that young of a child to start kindergarten.

If you are worried about her being behind, because she will be so much older than a lot of the students that start her year, then  you can supplement the learning at home.

Answer 2

I would advise against trying to get her in earlier than she should. Not only is there the issue of age difference, but there may be emotional maturity issues that may not be apparent until she is placed in a class full of children a year older than she! Instead, I would suggest doing supplimental work with her at home. Also, if she ends up being far ahead of the other children in her class academically, you can always conference with her teacher and discuss the possibility of sending her to another class only for reading, or only for math. That is what they did with our oldest when she was in Kindergarten and it worked very well. As a former teacher, I saw many children who were the youngest in the class struggle to fit in socially, and they just weren't mature enough to handle the demands placed on them! Children are little for just a short time. Enjoy this time with her and don't rush to get her ahead academically. She will do just great if you wait!

Answer 3

I don't know about TX but in TN I went to a private school  kinder garden so it would come out right and it did so that should work but if you don't won't to send her to private school. It won't put her behind she finish like every body else but when she gets older nobody will ever pay attention to the age lots of kids are like that.

Answer 4

I don't know if it is possible, but it is a terrible idea. Why would you want your child to be as much as a year younger than some kids in her class? Kindergarten isn't what it used to be, sadly. Find her a good preschool in Texas. It will be different than her California experience and she won't be bored. After all,she also has a move to adjust to.

Answer 5

No, there isn't a way. It's better this way. Rather than being the youngest in the class she will be much more advanced than her classmates. Where I live they are having problems with parents trying to hold back their kids on purpose in order to improve their grades and chance of success.

Answer 6

Don't have her go to school early. I have a birthday in October and my parents wished they had held me out for an extra year. My youngest will be 5 in August and even though he just barley makes the cut off I want to keep him out for another year. My best advice is to wait until she is almost 6 (like you are suppose to) to put her in kindergarten.