https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 16 Apr 2026 20:38:55 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/redshirting-do-you-think-there-should-be-more-rules/page/3#post-2775072 Sat, 23 Sep 2017 12:53:55 +0000 Anagram 2775072@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>More fuel for the fire </p> <p><a href="https://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/youngest-kid-smartest-kid" rel="nofollow">https://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/youngest-kid-smartest-kid</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/redshirting-do-you-think-there-should-be-more-rules/page/3#post-2774682 Thu, 21 Sep 2017 10:28:11 +0000 Modern Daisy 2774682@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I guess I wouldn't mind having the decision taken out of my hands considering I'm not a professional, but my son has special needs (behavioral) and an 8/22 birthday so my gut tells me to hold him back while he is receiving services so we can at least try to get him caught up emotionally before starting him with peers which could be a recipe for disaster. I worry that if he's not ready and the services aren't yet meeting his needs it could get him placed in a school setting that is not inclusive and lead to insecurity or even depression. But like I said I'm just a parent with no manual trying to do the right thing for my son, not an experienced educator. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/redshirting-do-you-think-there-should-be-more-rules/page/3#post-2774661 Thu, 21 Sep 2017 09:02:14 +0000 Freckles 2774661@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: @Adira: I actually believe that parents need to make a decision that is best for the current situation. We do not know how things will be for our kids when they are middle-schoolers or in college. The social, emotional and academic needs each pull us in very different directions and i think we need to accept that we will have to keep changing our kids' plans as different needs change priority. When i bring up grade skipping, i'm always met with, "but what about in high school" comments - who knows what will happen, but my priority is addressing the now. We also bought a house right next to an elementary school when she was 2 as we thought we would be sending her there, but now we are entertaining other programs outside of our area. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/redshirting-do-you-think-there-should-be-more-rules/page/3#post-2774658 Thu, 21 Sep 2017 08:53:01 +0000 looch 2774658@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Adira: I realize that...we have a lot more information now than just a few years ago. I have talked to my mother about this at length...she just didn't know that such a thing as magnet schools existed. It was the schools in town or religious schools.</p> <p>I have kind of gotten into the mindset that I need to address things as they come up and then make the plan. I went through the standard flow of elementary/middle/high school in town. I have come to realize that my son's experience is going to be different and I have to be constantly updating myself on the options available. It's already changed from where I thought I'd enroll him into kindergarten, as an example. We bought a house right next to our town elementary school when he turned 2. I instead opted to enter him in a lottery for a spot in an out of town magnet school that goes to 8th grade and I will have to determine what he does for high school. It's interesting how education is evolving! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/redshirting-do-you-think-there-should-be-more-rules/page/3#post-2774652 Thu, 21 Sep 2017 08:33:23 +0000 Adira 2774652@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: I mean, where we lived was pretty rural so there really weren't a ton of options for him, and my parents didn't really know what to do. And as a Freshman or Sophomore, he had no way of getting to a community college, even if that was an option. The internet also wasn't as prevalent back then either, so it wasn't as easy to find out what your options were. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/redshirting-do-you-think-there-should-be-more-rules/page/3#post-2774650 Thu, 21 Sep 2017 08:27:46 +0000 looch 2774650@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Adira: Then he should have started looking at community colleges for credits, at least that is what I would have suggested as a parent knowing what I know now.</p> <p>What you wrote hit home, though, I believe that you have to make decisions based on NOW. It's good advice. The decision to hold my son back was based on his emotional readiness at age 5. When he's ready for high school, we will reassess and I will find him a program that meets his needs at that time. There is so much out there in the specialty high schools space that didn't exist 15-20 years ago. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/redshirting-do-you-think-there-should-be-more-rules/page/3#post-2774645 Thu, 21 Sep 2017 08:24:10 +0000 Adira 2774645@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: That's true, and we had that too, but you had to complete certain classes to be eligible for other advanced classes - he was in the most advanced classes possible, but probably would have done better if he had been able to start high school a year earlier. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/redshirting-do-you-think-there-should-be-more-rules/page/3#post-2774643 Thu, 21 Sep 2017 08:21:39 +0000 Mrs. Yoyo 2774643@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Twolittlemen: Wow, could have written your post. We've since moved, but we were in an affluent part of a big southern district last year when my son started K and people couldn't even believe I was sending him on time (he has a late June birthday, and the cut-off is mid-August). Everyone pretty much just held summer kids by default, even some spring, and my son's best friend ended up being a full 15 months older than him. </p> <p>Unfortunately, we did NOT have the benefit of a veteran teacher, and we were in a testing, standards-obsessed district. My son caught up quickly, but he was definitely held to the standards of an almost 7, not a young 5. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/redshirting-do-you-think-there-should-be-more-rules/page/3#post-2774637 Thu, 21 Sep 2017 08:03:03 +0000 looch 2774637@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Adira: But that should have been considered when he was in high school )at least that is my thinking). I was in a school that had mixed ages. For example, I took Algebra 2 as a freshman, and it had sophomores in it.</p> <p>I believe that teachers and administrators that are worth their salt wouldn't let a kid be bored in a class. I also realize not every teacher has the resources to be able to do this. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/redshirting-do-you-think-there-should-be-more-rules/page/3#post-2774624 Thu, 21 Sep 2017 07:14:57 +0000 bushelandapeck 2774624@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Adira: I think redshirting and having a child repeat a grade are two different things, personally. The kids I grew up with several boys who stayed back in 1st or 2nd grade did seem bored and tended to get into more trouble, but the kids I see who started late (but weren't held back) seem to have done fine. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/redshirting-do-you-think-there-should-be-more-rules/page/3#post-2774622 Thu, 21 Sep 2017 07:13:02 +0000 bushelandapeck 2774622@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I didn't read all the comments but I know from experience that this is a sensitive topic for a lot of people. We just went through this with our August son (cut off is 8/31) and chose to hold him. This was a difficult decision (which I still struggle with) but I think holding him was the best decision for him. In our area, it's common to hold July/Aug children back from K as there is no option to repeat K unless the child is identified as needing special education services and repeating K would be beneficial. We made our decision based on our personal beliefs about our childs needs, and also because his preschool teacher and the director also recommended it. I agree with others who feel there should be a strict policy about cutoffs and all children going at the same time, preferably with a 12/31 cutoff, but since that is not the case, parents with kids who fall in so close to the cutoff are forced to decide whether to have their child be the youngest or the oldest. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/redshirting-do-you-think-there-should-be-more-rules/page/3#post-2774621 Thu, 21 Sep 2017 07:12:38 +0000 Adira 2774621@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Here's some more anecdotal data to consider:</p> <p>My brother (September birthday with a September 30 cut-off) started kindergarten on time. His teachers thought he could benefit from another year, so he was held back and repeated kindergarten (essentially red-shirting him). Socially and emotionally at the time, that might've been the right decision for him, but by the time he reached high-school, he was totally intellectually bored and should've been in more advanced classes!</p> <p>So there's no right answer. Doing what you think might be best NOW might not be the right answer for the future. Making a decision on what you think will be right for the future might not feel like what's right for now. There's no way to really know or predict how your kid will end up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/redshirting-do-you-think-there-should-be-more-rules/page/3#post-2774609 Wed, 20 Sep 2017 21:24:15 +0000 JoyfulKiwi 2774609@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Also, the idea of just holding a kid back rather than starting late is a painful one for me. Being held back in modern schools is pretty emotionally damaging &amp; doesn't usually lead to the gains adults hope for. </p> <p>I love the New Zealand system of starting throughout the year. I also love the idea of Kindergarten being a two-year program for kids ages 4-6, with the option for kids to move to 1st Grade if they're ready at the end of the first year. The ability level of kindergarteners can be so vast, even if they're all just 6-12 months apart. It'd be so advantageous to move kids along when they're ready for first grade, rather than when they were born. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/redshirting-do-you-think-there-should-be-more-rules/page/3#post-2774608 Wed, 20 Sep 2017 21:19:36 +0000 JoyfulKiwi 2774608@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>"Do you think the class environment is worse when the kids' ages vary so much, or do you think it makes no difference?"<br /> I think it makes classrooms better. 12-18 months range seems like a big deal, but it's not. There's a whole schooling model called Multi-Age with groupings of kids ranging 3-4 years in age. Multi-Age is amazing and one of the best ways for children to learn &amp; teachers to teach. Mixed/varied ages forces teachers to differentiate &amp; know the students' abilities, because they can't get by on "low", "middle", "high" subgroups. The best schools I've taught in have either incorporated Multi-Age models or use the philosophy in their straight-aged classrooms. I wish more schools would learn this method!<br /> "Do you think redshirting "punishes" kids who start on time?"<br /> This confuses me. How would being the youngest be a punishment? Because of academics or emotional maturity?<br /> "Do you think parents are the best people to decide whether or not their child is "ready" for school..."<br /> Yes. Schools know a lot &amp; teachers know a lot, but parents are the primary caregivers and should be allowed to make those choices as they see fit. Starting school at a non-traditional age is not child abuse/neglect.<br /> "Do you think public school should have more rules surrounding the redshirting process..."<br /> No, I think it would make things even more complicated. I feel the same about a nationwide cutoff. I don't see why that is necessary at all. I do think more clarification on if Kindergarten is part of mandatory schooling would be helpful. My state doesn't need kids to start school until they are 6. So if there was some rule about red shirting, a 6 year old with no school experience at all could potentially be denyed a Kindergarten year. </p> <p>I'm kind of surprised at how many people have such strong feelings about how wrong and/or annoying this choice is. This has been going on for ages (certainly since the early 2000's when I began teaching &amp; before Common Core became a thing) and no one I knew batted an eye at it. The factors are so varied as to when a child would be most successful in school that it's hard for me to say, "No, families can't do this ever." (Or only by jumping through hoops).</p> <p>Is Kinder too rigorous these days? The standards laid out by Common Core &amp; testing-crazed politicians point to yes. Not all schools buy-in to that culture &amp; more often than not they're lead by caring, competent professionals who can help all children grow no matter what their age. Some kids are ready at an arbitrary cut-off (and any cut-off would be arbitrary) and some are not. It's not an easy thing to decide, but I've rarely met someone regretting their choice either way. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/redshirting-do-you-think-there-should-be-more-rules/page/3#post-2774606 Wed, 20 Sep 2017 20:52:04 +0000 Foodnerd81 2774606@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>One thing to add about the "let teachers decide/ recommend"- I have talked to so many people who say the preK teacher said the kid "would benefit from an extra year". And even I have heard from a preschool teacher how no one regrets holding them back. So at least in my area, most of the preK teachers seem to be pretty pro holding kids if it's at all close. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/redshirting-do-you-think-there-should-be-more-rules/page/3#post-2774603 Wed, 20 Sep 2017 20:39:14 +0000 lady baltimore 2774603@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This conversation is SO interesting to me! Maybe I'm just not dialed in to the kindergarten circuit yet, but I am only really familiar with red shirting at the high school level (through my husband who is involved in elite high school athletics). I find that fairly ridiculous, but designing any portion of your life around competitive sports is just not my particular jam . . . </p> <p>I think it makes a lot more sense to start kids according to whatever cutoff date is dictated by the school, and then let them repeat K or 1st if necessary (I have cousins who just did each in MA). I understand that this is not always a readily available option, but as a teacher, I have trouble with the idea of letting a parent be the sole decision maker about readiness. Yes, you know your kid best, but educators know the demands of their program better, and should at least be partners in the decision-making process. </p> <p>My LO has an early December birthday and we're in a September 1 cutoff area. She is only 21 months, but I already have people advising me on how to game the system to get her into school early. Not really a concern of mine at this point, but thanks. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/redshirting-do-you-think-there-should-be-more-rules/page/3#post-2774500 Wed, 20 Sep 2017 13:40:50 +0000 Becky 2774500@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: oops, typo! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/redshirting-do-you-think-there-should-be-more-rules/page/3#post-2774491 Wed, 20 Sep 2017 13:33:19 +0000 Anagram 2774491@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Becky: What do you mean about this part? "Anyway, a child entering K in a district with an August 1 cutoff will not be prepared for the academics required in classrooms and the testing down the road as a child on a district with a Dec. 31st cutoff. ".</p> <p>Wouldn't a district with a Dec 31st cutoff have more 4 year olds in K than a district with an Aug 1st cutoff? So kids in an Aug 1 cutoff district would be older and more prepared theoretically? Or am I missing something? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/redshirting-do-you-think-there-should-be-more-rules/page/3#post-2774484 Wed, 20 Sep 2017 13:22:46 +0000 Becky 2774484@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@honeybear: I think there should be a nationwide cutoff, because it would put everyone on a more level playing field within a system that is regulated (with local flexibility) at the national level. Red shirting would never have been on my radar before common core or before standardized testing and increased academics in the classroom. I know someone mentioned recently that it seems we're all up in arms about increased academics, but it's a real thing--teachers are confirming it, and my school straight up recommended red shirting. The rigor came first, not the red shirting: it's not more 6 year olds in a classroom that is causing the instruction to be at a higher level--it's the requirement of more rigorous academics that is resulting in more parents holding kids back (I've heard of the athletics argument--I know many people who have red shirted their kids, and not a single one listed athletic capabilities as a factor. I also want to note I didn't hear about all these children who were held back until after I had made my decision, so that didn't have an impact). </p> <p>Anyway, a child entering K in a district with a Dec 1 cutoff will not be as prepared for the academics required in classrooms and the testing down the road as a child in a district with an Aug 1 cutoff. </p> <p>Many people have brought up ability levels and transitional kindergarten and I am so fully on board with that. I hope we can move toward that--it's just too late for my daughter, so I'm holding her back. Starting formal schooling at such a young age is not the norm in similar countries, and when the US is struggling to keep up and increased numbers of youth have anxiety resulting in part from so many activities and academic expectations, that should be one of the (many, many) factors we look at. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/redshirting-do-you-think-there-should-be-more-rules/page/3#post-2774481 Wed, 20 Sep 2017 13:18:32 +0000 LuLu Mom 2774481@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Growing up our cut off was Oct 15th, and I remember people in my class being older than people in the year ahead of us. Now they have changed the cut off to be July 15th in my school district, so redshirting is less common. I have a March baby and there is no way I would hold her back but my oldest is Oct 1st and I think I would have held her back had the original cutoff been in place. I don't think she would have been ready this year for kindergarten. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/redshirting-do-you-think-there-should-be-more-rules/page/2#post-2774476 Wed, 20 Sep 2017 13:05:24 +0000 AmandaB8 2774476@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My sister has the redshirt problem. She was born August 7th, with a cut off date of August 15th, and my parents chose to hold her back.</p> <p>She's in HS now. She has always been more mature than her peers, she physically developed way before them (and was definitely bullied as a result), and now she's the only driver among them. She was always friends with the kids in the grade ahead of her...but her 8th grade sucked because they were all in hs. </p> <p>Yes, she would be advanced regardless. But holding her back just magnified the issues. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/redshirting-do-you-think-there-should-be-more-rules/page/2#post-2774447 Wed, 20 Sep 2017 12:30:00 +0000 looch 2774447@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@honeybear: I am not sure that a national cut off date alone will solve the issue, which I feel is that we really should be looking at grouping kids by ability, not age. As it is right now, we have schools around the country with different calendars, so it's not possible to select a cut off that would make sense nationally. We'd need to align the school calendars first. Additionally, not ever state offers universal free PreK, and as we all know, not all preschools are created equal. So we'd have to introduce that nationally as well. </p> <p>I feel like the nut is so big, no one even wants to bother cracking it. I also think a lot of it is that there is widespread poverty in the US and if we could address that, we would address a lot of educational issues, but again, large nut to crack. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/redshirting-do-you-think-there-should-be-more-rules/page/2#post-2774436 Wed, 20 Sep 2017 11:51:08 +0000 ShootingStar 2774436@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm not a teacher and I'm not around kids every day other than my own. So I have no idea how their behavior stacks up compared to their peers. I really look to the teachers to give me their opinions. </p> <p>I do have a lot of angst around my son and kindergarten, but for the complete opposite reasons than red shirting. He has a November birthday and our district has a 9/1 cutoff. I grew up in NYS so this is kind of bizarre to me. Due to the way MA structures daycare staffing laws, he started pre-school in August last year at 2 years 9 months. He did the preschool room for a year, and they moved him up to pre-k this month. Because he misses the 9/1 cutoff and because our daycare doesn't have a kindergarten room, he will be in pre-k for two full years. </p> <p>Part of me thinks it's a good idea for him to not go to K because I think he needs time to get to where he can sit still and listen. But again, I'm not a teacher. And I know K is way more academic than when I was a kid. But I was one of those kids who was SO BORED the first few years of school because it wasn't challenging enough and it had an impact on me until I started grad school. </p> <p>But basically, when it comes to redshirting, I think it should be more of a call for the teachers/administration to decide if an individual kid would succeed more by waiting a year. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/redshirting-do-you-think-there-should-be-more-rules/page/2#post-2774430 Wed, 20 Sep 2017 11:41:45 +0000 2PeasinaPod 2774430@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have some mixed feelings about this. I'm a mid-September birthday, and I was sent when I was 4 turning 5. I was the youngest in my class and did well for myself, but I was definitely socially awkward. My older brother was a January birthday and he didn't turn 5 until January. My mom sent him to school and he was definitely NOT ready. She's on me for not sending my oldest son to kindergarten this year.</p> <p>My boys are both late September birthdays with the cutoff in PA being September 1st. Though I could test them in, I'm happy letting the district sort of decide this for us. My oldest will be one of the older kids in his class, but redshirting is common here. I also look at the kindergarten curriculum, and it isn't the same as when I was in kindergarten. Kids in my area are expected to be where I was at a 1st grade level when I was in school. So I think the boys having September birthdays are to our advantage. Technically we aren't redshirting since they miss the cutoff, but I think our oldest needed the extra year socially. We'll see what comes when our youngest is in that position. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/redshirting-do-you-think-there-should-be-more-rules/page/2#post-2774424 Wed, 20 Sep 2017 11:32:40 +0000 gingerbebe 2774424@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrsbubbletea: I call it redshirting because the cutoff is September 1 and he's a September 6th birthday. Like, I get he would be going to school "on time" if we put him in public school, but to me it would be like holding him back an entire year of school because of a 5 day difference. It seems absurd to me that he would have to wait when I felt at 4 years, 359 days old, he was ready. </p> <p>And I have no problem whatsoever waiting if he needs it. We honestly, for a long time I thought he WOULD need to wait because he had a speech delay. But his teachers have been telling me that while his expressive speech in terms of speaking in sentences is a little behind his peers, its still totally within normal range. And more significantly, they keep telling me he's very "academically motivated." Which is laughable to hear when describing a toddler, but basically he REALLY likes to learn new concepts and he has a ridiculous recall memory. I mean, they use very polite ways to describe him, but basically, he's the really annoying kid who shouts out the answers to things all. day. long. and they have to find creative ways to let the other kids get a word in edgewise. That's why they asked us to let him move him up to the next class early. The thought of not having that type of flexibility and collaboration with my teachers when it came to kinder because of a 5 days was just super frustrating to me. </p> <p>We are planning on sending our son to private school for a myriad of reasons, but the ability to have more control over when to start kinder and having a school that would do individual readiness assessments just made a lot more sense to me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/redshirting-do-you-think-there-should-be-more-rules/page/2#post-2774423 Wed, 20 Sep 2017 11:31:20 +0000 kodybear 2774423@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrsbubbletea: i think shes referring to kids whose birthday doesn't fall in the Sept-Dec months for TK. Those with birthdays from June-Aug have an option to send their kids to TK instead of K if theres room, so they would be effectively redshirting them. btw, love your user name, boba is one of my fav things in life ;-) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/redshirting-do-you-think-there-should-be-more-rules/page/2#post-2774419 Wed, 20 Sep 2017 11:17:12 +0000 mrsbubbletea 2774419@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@gingerbebe: I think TK is awesome! Especially for people who can barely afford preschool. Also I am confused, when you talk about redshirting your son, do you mean if he went to a public school and he would have to wait until he was 5? That's not redshirting. That's the rule of when he can start. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/redshirting-do-you-think-there-should-be-more-rules/page/2#post-2774417 Wed, 20 Sep 2017 11:15:05 +0000 gingerbebe 2774417@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: My point is that a lot of parents (for boys mostly) give me reasons for redshirting that are supposed to come into play in high school and college (like being ready for more advanced college prep classes, sports, girlfriends, or when they get their drivers' license, being an experienced driver by the time college rolls around) and my husband is like ???? He's literally like what does that have to do with the price of chicken unless your kid is going to be a D1 athlete or a top flight student at a elite college? And girlfriends/cars, who cares!? (Obviously my husband has no shortage of strong opinions :grin: ) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/redshirting-do-you-think-there-should-be-more-rules/page/2#post-2774416 Wed, 20 Sep 2017 11:13:30 +0000 Anagram 2774416@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It is hard for me that the decision to redshirt is based on such subjective criteria. Like..."emotional readiness". "social readiness". And that's making a really big leap that children will act the same at home as they do at school (And that isn't always the case).</p> <p>Even recently, I found myself in a position of being surprised by what my kiddo is capable of. Of course, as a mother, I feel like I know my kids best. I feel like my oldest has proven to be very adaptive in general and that my youngest is very slow to warm up to new situations. DD2 recently started daycare for the first time and drop offs/pick ups were a nightmare. She was totally distraught. Although the teachers assured me she would adjust, I totally thought "They don't know MY kid", and honestly, after only the 1st week, my husband and I were already discussing if we should pull her and keep a nanny for another year. I know *some* parents would have already given up on daycare. I also know some kids really *are* terrible with transitions and there have been stories here on HB of kids who cried at drop off for an entire year. I really thought DD2 would be in the category. At home, she's so stubborn and set in her ways.</p> <p>Then this week, I was proven wrong. On day 9 of her new daycare, she stopped crying. So my "stubborn" and "not adaptive" kid is really just average in that area, not particularly slow to adapt or whatever. The point is that---I didn't really know my daughter and her capabilities. She proved me wrong! In my head, I was thinking "she's not ready for daycare". But she's fine.</p> <p>It's just such a subjective decision, the way it is now, where parents basically get to decide on their own with no input. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/redshirting-do-you-think-there-should-be-more-rules/page/2#post-2774415 Wed, 20 Sep 2017 11:11:20 +0000 kodybear 2774415@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@gingerbebe: Yeah i agree. i really do think that kids that don't fall in the TK months should have some sort of assessment first, versus just letting them redshirt. However, our school is impacted, so some kids ended up in TK by default because K was full! :shocked: it totally sucks esp if the kid would be fine in K but it sets them back a whole year in life. we definitely live in an area though where parents want their kids to be the best in their year, so they redshirt, which i think is annoying. </p>