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Is There A Way To Appeal Transitional Kindergarten In Fcusd?


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#1 newfamtofolsom

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Posted 28 October 2013 - 02:19 PM

FCUSD has changed the cut-off for kindergarten to Sept.1 for 2014.  My child's bday is in September and she is more than ready for kindergarten (even her preschool thinks tranitional k will be a step back).  I've gone to the school to see if there's a way to appeal the cut-off for her, can they test her readiness, make an exception, etc.  I've been told no by the staff, the principal has yet to respond to my request for an appointment.

If she wasn't ready, I wouldn't push.  Does anyone know of a process I can try to get her into kindergarten for 2014 and not transitional?

If she goes to private kindergarten next year, will they have to take her into 1st the following?

 

Thanks!

 



#2 SacKen

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Posted 28 October 2013 - 02:37 PM

I'm in the same boat. This is a State law, not FCUSD rule, that changed a couple years ago. From what I've been told, there is no way to appeal it because the State would simply not pay the school for a child that does not meet the criteria. I've heard (but not verified) that the only way around it is if your child is in a private Kindergarten then transfers to public school in 1st Grade since the age limit only applies when entering K. I don't know if that is true and someone has succeeded with that strategy or that's just what people hope will happen.


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#3 bordercolliefan

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Posted 28 October 2013 - 03:04 PM

I've heard of the same strategy SacKen mentions being successful, but that was some years ago now (probably 8 years ago), so you would need to check. 

 

Also, based on personal experience, I would proceed with caution about putting your child ahead of her age group (though I realize she is close to the cut-off).  My daughter is a Nov. 25 birthday and the cut-off when she entered k was Dec. 1.  She gets straight A's, so there is no academic problem, but the difference in maturity now that she's in middle school is striking and has been challenging.  --Especially because many kids are started late!  So she is still 12, in class with many 14 year olds who have boyfriends, etc. while she still loves playing pretend (as most 12 year olds do).  It is not really a benefit to be the youngest in one's class.  Gotta run but would be happy to discuss more...



#4 newfamtofolsom

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Posted 28 October 2013 - 03:26 PM

Our other child is November, I'm holding her back no problem.  Our older daughter, September, is so ready and has been for some time.  To pay another year for preschool, I do love hers, or to do transitional is not what I'm looking to do.  I was thinking of doing private kindergarten to get around it, but many seem to have the same state cut-off...so far.

If anyone can provide details on how they've done it successfully, I'd appreciate it.



#5 cw68

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Posted 28 October 2013 - 03:34 PM

I see both sides. My birthday is December 1 and I was almost always the youngest and, being petite, I was always the smallest. Imagine the different between a tiny 8-year old and a tall 9-year old. It bothered me at the time. I hated that I had to wait until the middle of my junior year to get my license when most everyone was driving already. I think I probably would have benefitted from being held back.

That said, my son's birthday is November 5 and he was definitely ready for kindergarten. He was doing multiplication; I worried that another year of, "What's the Weather Today?" would lead him to being bored in school and them he wouldn't pay attention (not being sufficiently challenged was a problem for me so it was a risk I understood). Almost everyone urged me to hold him back, but I didn't. Even his future kindergarten teacher was wary when I old we I had registered him. When we had our first conference she told me that I read him correctly and that I was definitely doing him a favor. So far he does really well in school both academically and socially, and has a lot of friends one school year above him whom he met through his sister.

The negatives? He is very athletic. Sports obsessed in fact. He is always the youngest on the team and he's a small kid to begin with. I sometimes wonder if that will be a negative in the long run. But then I realize, he's going to be small no matter what grade he's in.

My take? Go with your gut. If you think she should start school and you find a way to do it, do it!

#6 Chris

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Posted 28 October 2013 - 03:37 PM

I would let it go and just deal with it. This is a good rule believe it or not.  She will be more ready for college when she goes away (mature) and it gives you another year to save up....!  Have you started that 529 yet...?   I'm at the other end of your situation and my daughter did repeat Kindergarten.   She is in high school now and I thank God for that decision we made a decade ago....  Plus it will give you more time and peace of mind when you teach her to drive.  Regards   


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#7 cw68

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Posted 28 October 2013 - 03:42 PM

I would let it go and just deal with it. This is a good rule believe it or not.  She will be more ready for college when she goes away (mature) and it gives you another year to save up....!  Have you started that 529 yet...?   I'm at the other end of your situation and my daughter did repeat Kindergarten.   She is in high school now and I thank God for that decision we made a decade ago....  Plus it will give you more time and peace of mind when you teach her to drive.  Regards   


Chris, you brought up a good point. I figured I could always have him repeat kindergarten if it turned out I made the wrong decision for him.

#8 ambrno33

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Posted 28 October 2013 - 03:48 PM

We're in the same position and will be sticking by the new age cut off, even though my daughter will be more than ready. I want her to be older and more mature/ a leader in school, versus younger and looking up to others. 

I definitely don't want her going to college at 17... and as far away as it is now, I'll enjoy that last year with her at home before she moves away!



#9 MikeinFolsom

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Posted 28 October 2013 - 04:37 PM

Im pretty sure kids don't learn much in Kindergarten anyways. I think the bigger picture is maturity and socialization. My son was reading his sister's 3rd grade books before he started Kindergarten. Maturity wise, he was not even close to being ready for classroom instruction. Glad he didn't start early because I'd have been the parent always having 'after school chats' with the teacher. :)

#10 bordercolliefan

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Posted 28 October 2013 - 06:48 PM

I brought up this topic with another mom whose son was also the youngest in his class, and is now in high school.  She told me that she regretted starting him-- again, not for academic reasons (he is currently applying to Ivy Leagues), but because there has always been a social maturity gap and (she feels) it hurt him in sports. 

 

Obviously it is hard to have a crystal ball to look ahead to middle school and high school, and determine whether your child will be on the "more mature" side for her age or typical for her age.  I didn't see any real differences between my daughter and many of her peers in the early elementary years, but I definitely see it in middle school. 



#11 JoAnne Reinking

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Posted 28 October 2013 - 06:57 PM

ED CODE -

EDUCATION CODE
SECTION 48010-48011


48010.  (a) A child shall be admitted to the first grade of an
elementary school during the first month of a school year if the
child will have his or her sixth birthday on or before one of the
following dates:
   (1) December 2 of the 2011-12 school year.
   (2) November 1 of the 2012-13 school year.
   (3) October 1 of the 2013-14 school year.
   (4) September 1 of the 2014-15 school year and each school year
thereafter.
   (b) For good cause, the governing board of a school district may
permit a child of proper age to be admitted to a class after the
first school month of the school term.

48011.  A child who, consistent with Section 48000, has been
admitted to the kindergarten maintained by a private or a public
school in California or any other state, and who has completed one
school year therein, shall be admitted to the first grade of an
elementary school unless the parent or guardian of the child and the
school district agree that the child may continue in kindergarten for
not more than an additional school year.
   A child who has been lawfully admitted to a public school
kindergarten or a private school kindergarten in California and who
is judged by the administration of the school district, in accordance
with rules and regulations adopted by the State Board of Education,
to be ready for first-grade work may be admitted to the first grade
at the discretion of the school administration of the district and
with the consent of the child's parent or guardian if the child is at
least five years of age. When a child has been legally enrolled in a
public school of another district within or out of the state, he or
she may be admitted to school and placed in the grade of enrollment
in the district of former attendance, at the discretion of the school
administration of the district entered.
 


#12 chris v

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Posted 28 October 2013 - 07:34 PM

My daughter started kindergarten this year and her birthday is only a couple days before the cutoff. So far we've struggled with her maturity level. It's getting better but it is definitely not what it should be. Academically she is fine. I have a feeling she will not be going to first grade next year. It is beyond frustrating for me. The more I think about it the more I think she should have waited.

#13 bordercolliefan

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Posted 28 October 2013 - 08:12 PM

It is a hard decision because you are also thinking about them being bored academically. But with the benefit of hindsight, I would view that as less of a concern because most teachers do a pretty good job providing different levels of challenge.

I think one thing that has made this decision harder is how common it is for parents to "red shirt" kids for an extra year, even if they are eligible for kindergarten. So now, a child who begins early will have lots of kids in the class who are not just one but two years older.

It becomes a real dilemma.

#14 Steve Heard

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Posted 29 October 2013 - 08:24 AM

One of the countless mistakes I made as a parent was to put my daughter in kindergarten a year too early. I insisted that she was the most brilliant child ever born and that she was ready.

 

I confused smarts with maturity. 

 

As others have mentioned, the maturity level wasn't there. She was almost always the youngest in her class, and so she struggled. It was particularly tough when she went to middle school. Middle school is rough on kids, I think it's worse for girls, with the cliques, ostracism, hormones and rumor mill, and she just wasn't ready for that.

 

Today she is a fairly normal 25 year old, but I often regretted putting her through that.   


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#15 Chris

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Posted 29 October 2013 - 09:34 AM

Steve, very well put.   Another thing that I never thought about when my kids were young.....   When they go away to college you really do miss them....   You are happy for them but it hurts to walk by that empty room everyday for months on end and not to hear their voice in the house.   When my oldest went away to college I found that I really missed him around the house....   Don't rush them through life, it will happen way too soon anyway all on its own....!  Chris


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