E-MAIL QUESTION: What are your thoughts? I have a 5 year old daughter who is the youngest of three, she has a November birthday so she missed the kindergarten cutoff of September 1st. She has been in pre-school since she was 2 1/2 and this year she is in a 5 day a week program. She knows all her letters (and sounds), numbers, beginning concepts of addition/subtraction, can count 100+, counts by 2's, 5's and 10's. She is starting to read simple books and writes short stories sounding out the words. She can also write her letters and numbers. She seems so ready for first grade rather then kindergarten.
Also my older daughter has taught her all of the kindergarten booklets that they still use in the classroom. I am worried she will get bored and I am not sure how to approach the Principal on the subject. Any thoughts would be great.
Thanks-

ANSWER:  I think that kindergarten is the perfect grade to skip.  It sounds as if you are a little nervous approaching the subject with your Principal. It is my experience with skipping grades that you will, most likely, run into resistance from the school system. They often prefer to package the kids by age and not think any further than that. If you really think that your child should be moved ahead, you have to 1. Know that you will receive resistance, 2. That they may laugh at you or tell you you don't know what you're talking about and 3. That you must have conviction and a goal. Here is a hypothetical of what may happen: 

1. Know your facts before mentioning a grade skip. Look at the education statutes for your state and find out what the actual age requirement is for your state. If you can't find it, call the state education department and ask where the rule is "written" and write it down for future use. Don't just take a verbal explanation. Ask "Where can I find that information written?" Then go look it up. (I also make a photocopy for my records when I'm looking things up - that way I'm prepared for the certain future battle with the administration.) You don't have to let everyone know that you've done your research. I usually save that tidbit for when the argument starts.

2. Put your request in writing to the Principal of the school. At this point, you don't have to write a long letter. Just say, "I feel that Suzie is academically and emotionally ready for first grade and I am requesting that she be admitted to the first grade for the upcoming year (input month).   I would also get the admittance papers for fall admittance, fill them out and include them with the letter (because I'm bold like that).  By filling out the official papers, you require that they respond to you in an official manner.

**Just be sure to be completely honest when filling out the forms.  If the wording doesn't match your situation, cross out the word by putting line through it and place the correct information above the crossed out word.  For instance, lets say there is a check box saying "I certify that my child is at least 6 years of age by such and such a date."  Well, if you can't check the box without lying, cross out the 6 and place a 5 there or whatever the age of your child is.  Adapt the form how you need to.  They won't be happy about it, and they don't have to accept the form like that, but that doesn't mean you can't do it.

3. They will most likely call you at this point because they don't want to put anything in writing. You will be told that it isn't possible because of the state laws (which you have looked up already). At this point, you will let them know what the exception to the rule is (if there is one) OR They'll surprise you and tell you to fill out the enrollment papers!

The exception to the rule: Many rules or statutes are vaguely worded. Here is an example of an education statute from the State of Connecticut where I live: 

You will notice that this statute gives an age "range". There is no specific age restriction saying that a child cannot enter school earlier than 5 (again every state is different and I'm not a lawyer, so always consult an attorney just to be sure). They seem more concerned with getting a child into school than keeping them out.  Your state will probably have something different (See the links in the question above which mentions the State of Nevada to get a different idea of age requirement and exceptions).

4. If they still resist you, then ask them "How can we make this happen?" or "Who can make this happen?" You may have to request that your child be evaluated in order to make it happen. (Note that subjecting your child to evaluation also means that they can just say "No, we've evaluated your child and he/she isn't ready. So that's our final answer.") 

5. If they say no again, then write another letter saying that you understand their concerns, but you know your child best and think it is in his/her best interests to skip kindergarten (or whatever grade).

6. If all fails with the public school systems, you can also try this process with a private school. Private schools can more easily bend the rules because they don't have to answer to the state.

That's all I can think of now. Hope it helps.

E-MAIL QUESTION:   I have been reading some of your emails on grade skipping and was wondering what my options are in the state of Florida . My daughter was born on September 6 and she is currently in private school (k-4) and doing very well. We would like to put her into public school, but since she missed the cut off date (September 1), they will make her wait till next year to enter kindergarten. Is there any way we can fight them on this or will we be forced to keep her in private school until second grade, then put her in public school? We have thought about home schooling too.

Thank you for any information you can give me on this!

ANSWER:  Every state has different laws, so I can't give you any specific information on a particular state.  Making a child wait to enter school simply because of age is one of my biggest irritations with education laws and school systems.  Unfortunately, any time you're dealing with "public" systems, you are at the mercy of the system the majority of the time.  In order to find out if there is anything you can do, you need to do some research on the education laws of your state and also the county or city/town education regulations (if they exist).  Here is a list of links leading to education laws in each state.  Click here to look for your state:  http://www.extremeintellect.com/06menuRESOURCES/EDUCATIONstatutes.htm  Reading the state education statutes is a good place to start. 

It is my opinion that nursery school and kindergarten are perfect times to skip a child ahead because I believe that children begin to more easily adapt to their environments and respond to expectations of whatever level classroom they enter.  I have found that younger children most often rise to a challenge.

I would also like to note that I did home school Lauren for a time.  It was a great experience, but I also think it is important for a child to experience a traditional classroom environment, if only for a short time.  Otherwise, they won't have any point of reference with other students and won't be able to fully understand where more traditional students are coming from.  I, on the other hand, didn't want to keep Lauren in a traditional environment for very long because the system really does create little drones and that is not what I wanted for her. 

Try writing a formal letter to the principal of the school asking to put her in public school.  The letter should not be long and should not go into a lot of detail as to your daughter's accomplishments because that would just give them ammunition to reject you with.  The first letter should be simple and to the point. 

Also, sometimes it may be easier to get a private school to skip her ahead a grade, get the results from the years work and then she may smoothly transfer to the public school.  That worked in Lauren's situation. 

I think it is very important for any parent to first research, then figure out what he or she (the parent) wants done, and then fight for it.  I never let school systems determine what I can and cannot do with my child.  The school system will not be around in 18 years to deal with whatever mess they created by their advice.  So, I determine what is right for my child and make the necessary arrangements to make that happen. 

Hope that helps.  Good luck!

E-MAIL QUESTION:  I am sure you have heard similar stories many times ...  Our daughter I believe is gifted, not profoundly gifted, but probably a few years ahead.  She started spelling just before turning 3 and at a month over 4 was reading Amelia Bedilia to her grandfather (all 50 pages in one sitting). I introduce her to new math concepts as complex as negative numbers and she picks them up quickly.  Our other daughter has not met the same milestones and I acknowledge this.  I feel like this shows that I am not an overly biased parent.  I feel like I am being objective in my observations and have paper work from her current kindergarten.

The problem is that the county that we are in is not the same as the county where her day care / kindergarten is.  My wife and I feel that she should be in the magnet program and start in first grade.  However, the current school county to which she is zoned, says that "she is too young based on state law, etc, etc."

We are trying to meet with the principals of her zoned school and the magnet school and even some employees at the state level.  If there was an objective assessment by the school that is done and the results are that she is not either emotionally or intellectually ready, we would accept that.  However, facing so much bureaucracy is frustrating.