What is your school's cutoff birthday for kindergarten?

[shoney]

December 1st

 

[momto2girls]

August 1st

 

[mi*vida*loca]

South jersey and 5 by October 1.

 

[KristiMc]

August 1st

 

[PrincessShmoo]

November 1st.

 

[brookmey]

September 1st. My son's b-day is Sept. 14 so when he started kinder he was the oldest in his grade. One of his classmates was born Aug. 31, she was the youngest. It was crazy, how he was almost an entire year older, but yet they were starting school at the same time.

 

[bcla]

September 1st. My son's b-day is Sept. 14 so when he started kinder he was the oldest in his grade. One of his classmates was born Aug. 31, she was the youngest. It was crazy, how he was almost an entire year older, but yet they were starting school at the same time.

I don't know if it's really a help or a hindrance. I come from a family where it's almost a sense of pride to show academic achievement at a young age.

I did read something about Canadian hockey players. Supposedly there was a correlation of the best players being the oldest in their youth hockey age groups.

 

[Caseheidi]

In Oregon the cut off is September 1st, right around when school starts. If your child has a birthday in September, you can petition to have your child tested and enter early.

 

[AppleDumpling]

December 1st

I do remember hearing something said in passing by a district employee that kindergarten is legally optional in California. I looked it up, and school is only mandatory when a child turns 6.

It's the same in NY state. School attendance is mandatory from ages 6 through 16. I suspect this is the case in other states as well.

Also, my district had half-day kindergarten only, up until a few years ago when they switched to full-day.

 

[AuntieMe3]

It's Sept 1st here and they gradually moved up to that day through the last couple years. When my daughter was in school it was as long as they were 5 by the end of the year. Our area does not test kids that just miss the deadline and i think they should. I work in a preschool and we have a few kids that miss the date by a couple days and they are more than ready for kindergarten this year.

 

[dina444444]

Where I grew up the cutoff was December 2, it changed to September 1 sometime in the past 7 years or so.

 

[Vicki926]

September 30th here.
But, I made my own rule of September 1st for my son. LOL He was born in September, and I didn't send him the year he could go, waited a year.

If your child is born 10/1 or later, no evaluation, it's set in stone. My daughter was born 10/24 and would have done fine in K a year earlier, but extra time is rarely a bad thing. I was happy she missed it. More time in preschool, just 3 afternoons a week, more time at home.
I've never seen a child have a hard time because they just missed the cut off, but ones who just made it can sometimes benefit from the gift of time.

And now, as she is ac senior in high school, I'm thrilled that I'm not dropping her off at college already.

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

What is the latest date a child can turn 5 to be a kindergartener in your town?

Where I live its before the first day of school.

Sept 1st.

 

[Runnergal]

My kids go to catholic school in NYC, but the kindergarten cut off date is the same as the public schools-Dec 31.

 

[mjkacmom]

I don't know if it's really a help or a hindrance. I come from a family where it's almost a sense of pride to show academic achievement at a young age.

I did read something about Canadian hockey players. Supposedly there was a correlation of the best players being the oldest in their youth hockey age groups.

It's October 1st here, but a lot of boys are red shirted and start a year later, or repeat 8th grade at a private school, because of sports.

 

[Poohforyou]

September 30th unless you've already started kindergarten before moving here. My daughter missed the cutoff by a month.

Lots of people I know held their kids with summer birthdays. This was mostly boys.

Kindergarten is optional in nj. My dd stayed at her daycare for kindergarten and attended 4 days a week. She had 8 kids in her class. It was a good decision as it slowly eased her into full time school.

 

[robndani]

Im not sure but this will give me a chance to say this, girls should be able to start school 1 year before boys, boys mature much slower and geting into each grade with a year more maturity would help the boys so much more

I have boy girl twins and that would have been a nightmare. Lol!

In NJ school starts after Labor Day and the cutoff in October 1st.

 

[lorimay]

Florida is Sept. 1

 

[design_mom]

First to the OP: Cut off date is September 31 here. School starts in mid-August.

It's October 1st here, but a lot of boys are red shirted and start a year later, or repeat 8th grade at a private school, because of sports.

I'm going to go off on a tangent here. My son's birthday is in late September and we decided to start him late. There were a lot of reasons for it -- academic and social -- but NONE of them were sports related. It really bothers me that people say "they did it because of sports." And I knew it was coming as soon as I saw the subject of the post... someone ALWAYS says it.

It really trivializes the decision and makes it sound like parents are willing to sacrifice their kids' education for the possibility of some high-school "fame" on the sports field... rather than the real reason which was to make their education better. There may be some weirdos that look at their 4 year old and see the next star quarterback, but do you really think that's why "a lot of boys" are started late?

My son's in high school now and he does play sports. He's an average player for his grade level. He's not a star. Of the other families I know who also started their kids late (boys and girls) there's not a star athlete among the bunch... and I don't think anybody's parents expected them to be. And several don't play sports at all.

 

[mom2rtk]

First to the OP: Cut off date is September 31 here. School starts in mid-August.



I'm going to go off on a tangent here. My son's birthday is in late September and we decided to start him late. There were a lot of reasons for it -- academic and social -- but NONE of them were sports related. It really bothers me that people say "they did it because of sports." And I knew it was coming as soon as I saw the subject of the post... someone ALWAYS says it.

It really trivializes the decision and makes it sound like parents are willing to sacrifice their kids' education for the possibility of some high-school "fame" on the sports field... rather than the real reason which was to make their education better. There may be some weirdos that look at their 4 year old and see the next star quarterback, but do you really think that's why "a lot of boys" are started late?

My son's in high school now and he does play sports. He's an average player for his grade level. He's not a star. Of the other families I know who also started their kids late (boys and girls) there's not a star athlete among the bunch... and I don't think anybody's parents expected them to be. And several don't play sports at all.

I get that lots make that decision for reasons other than sports. But around here it does happen a lot for sports. They all think their kid is going to be the next pro athlete. I find it to be over the top, and it changes the dynamics in school. I started mine on time when they were supposed to and they ended up being smaller and less mature than many of the other boys because everyone else holding their kids back.

That shouldn't trivialize your decision though. Everyone has an individual decision to make on the matter.