Challenging the school board

coasterqueen wrote: Well Kylie went for her screening yesterday. They clearly told Dh that she's more than ready for Kindergarten. DUH! I already knew that. They said they'd let us know in April if she'll get to start preschool this fall or not. The only thing helping her even been considered is that her and her sister are the only ones at daycare now; so she's not getting any social interaction anymore. That's not entirely true, there is a kid that goes there after school, but they don't need to know that. And she'll have three kids this summer, but still they don't need to know that.

The teachers did mention that we could write a letter to the principal challenging him to consider letting Kylie start kindergarten this fall instead. Her birthday falls 6 days past the cut-off of September 1. They also said they've never seen an acception to the rule either so it's probably a lost cause. So Dh started the letter last night and was doing some legal jargon research before he finishes it sometime this week when he gets back from his business trip.

It is so ridiculous to be told that she tested well above average, is MORE than ready for Kindergarten and that she has more knowledge than 3/4 the kindergarten kids they have in school now. And she has to wait a whole other year because of 6 lowsy days. Dh and I, both, started school at age 4 and did completely fine. \

I wouldn't even be upset if she wasn't ready, but she is clearly ready. Preschool is going to bore her and I'm afraid if we wait til next year for Kindergarten then eventually here they are going to come to me and say they think she should skip a grade. Happened to both Dh and I, well the option to skip a grade.

Anyways, just venting. Thanks for listening.

lisar replied: Good luck. I fought the school board over some issues as well and pretty much got nowhere with them. But your school board may be diffrent. I hope they let her if she is ready then they should let her. Why hold them back when they are already there. KWIM? Good luck. KUP.

cameragirl21 replied: there is a way around this--you can send her to private school just for K. they allow kids to enter at age 4, my godson did and he wasn't even going to be five until late february so he was a young 4 and his mom wanted him to start early so she sent him to a private school for K.
i've heard of that done on many occasions, where parents send the kids to private so they can start a year early.
it's expensive but it's just for one year, then you send her to public school and she's with her age group.

Kaitlin'smom replied: I have not had Kait tested yet but I am positive she is also ready for K, however sheis no where close to the deadline so she will go to prek again in the fall. I know she will have a different teacher and hopefully a more advanced curriculam. Right now thay have 2 4yr old classes and she is already in the advanced one. Best of luck I hope you get somewhere.

coasterqueen replied:
Yeah, we know this 'loophole' but really don't want to do it because we firmly believe in our children growing up in the same school district throughout their school careers. Why? Because I had an extremely hard time adjusting to a new district when I was a kid and had to move and I never recovered from it. Dh spent his entire child school career at the district we are in now. Our friends now teach there. All of our friends kids go there. It just seems logical to us. I'd prefer her to go to K with kids she'll go to 1st with, etc, etc.

If we ever HAD to move, then we'd accept it, but this is a situation to where we don't HAVE to do something so we don't feel it's right for Kylie to adjust to one situation and then to another. That would be pretty selfish on our part. I guess it could be said we'd be selfish for not sending her to private since she's ready, but she'll do fine in either preK or just w/her sitter alone. Her sitter has taught her so much and has a strict regiment on what she teaches her and that she's taught daily.

Plus, in our opinion the money we would spend on private K would be much better spent putting in her college saving account. KWIM? Sending her to a private school isn't going to help her if we can't afford college later.

jcc64 replied: I understand your concerns about too much school hopping and it's potentially traumatic effect on a kid, but I think it's an age by age thing. I sent Alec, now 14, to a different kindergarten than our home school, primarily b/c our own school did not have full day at the time. For first grade, we switched him back and he was fine- no adjustment problems whatsoever- and this is a kid who was painfully shy and quiet at the time. I think at that age, kids are pretty open to forming new friendships- it's when you get up to 4th grade and beyond that it can get more difficult to infiltrate the various cliques and friendships.
Just wanted to share my experience, fwiw. Good luck, Karen!

mom21kid2dogs replied: Hope it all works out for your family! Good luck in petitioning the school board. It's done frequently here with a good degree of success, especially when the testing supports the descision. It's awful that your district doesn't typically consider anything other than age alone~like all 5 year olds are alike???

I know it's really hard to deal with school issues when you had some yourself (BTDT) but what concerned me most with O & school (based on my childhood experiences) are so not her issues at all. Same genetics but way different personality in our case.

Our financial planner did give us an incredible piece of financial wisdom that has never left me about college financing. He said (and I certainly cannot dispute this) that college is the only stage in one's life that people will bend over backward to finance you. It really moved us out of the worry phase about our daughter's college education.

Sounds like you've had a great sitter and a smart kid

amynicole21 replied: We've been told that we shouldn't even bother trying to fight it. They never make exceptions in FL. Good luck to you guys.

lisar replied:
That is so true. I live in FL also. And they dont make exceptions. I hate it. I tried fighting it but it didnt work. I sent her to a really good pre-K instead.

coasterqueen replied:
That will probably be the case here. According to the IL school code law the school district legally can consider her prior to turning 5. So I know they CAN accept her. Dh and I are starting to think we may take this fight as far as we can go with it, even petitioning the school board in person at a school board meeting. We are looking at all legal aspects, trying to get a lawyer friend involved AND I think a key would be to find out if others have been considered and approved in past years, but I'm really not sure how to go about finding that kind of info out.

inmom2two replied:
That may be the best way to go. If you do it in person you may have better luck. However, is that going to label you guys as "problem parents" during her school years? Just something to consider. Dad was a guidance counselor and on the school boards and I remember listening to his horror stories of how kids with "problem" parents were treated.
Good luck with this tough decision. It's hard doing what we know is best for our kids, isn't it?

coasterqueen replied:
I don't plan to give them the perception that I will be a problem parent. I think if we go in there armed with an intelligent argument and act civil about it we shouldn't come across that way. I know the type of parent you are referring to, and we won't be that. The only problem standing in our way from going to the school board first is that the president of the school board is a very very close friend of my boss' as well as he's a member of the organization I work for. So I can't burn any bridges, either.

kit_kats_mom replied: We are right there with you Karen. Katherine is actually doing Megans (6) school work with her and Candace says Katherine is actually better at it than Megan is. Candace is homeschooling Megan with the state's Kindergarden program. Here in FL it is the law that they have to be 5 on or before Sept 1st to start Kindergarden and 6 on or before the first to start first grade. No such law for second grade but there is no wiggle room for public schools. Sooooo irritating

inmom2two replied:
Oh, that's a tough one. Good luck.

Kaitlin'smom replied:
FYI-not all private schools will do this

gr33n3y3z replied: I think its a good idea to do the research before going in.
If you want to know the answers ask the questions most teachers will talk to you if you ask it in the right way

cameragirl21 replied: Karen, if your boss is a good friend of the school board prez why wouldn't you ask him if he can set up a private meeting between you and her?
i know a lot of people hesitate to ask their bosses or anyone they work with for personal favors of this kind but i personally always try to use every advantage i have.
the way i see it, rules are hard to break but humans make and maintain them and humans are, well, only human and have to make exceptions some of the time if they're presented with a compelling argument.
what you need is a stage upon which to present this compelling argument and maybe your boss can help you get it.

coasterqueen replied: I tried talking to the school board prez myself. I know him fairly well too. He wouldn't budge. He just told me the school has never made an exception that he's aware of. I still plan to present my case and see what happens.

cameragirl21 replied:
oh, i see. didn't realize the school board prez was a man, i somehow pictured it to be a woman, which is why i referred to him as a her in a previous post.
well, i hope you win this fight, K, no sense in holding Kylie back a year for no reason other than that you went into labor six days too late.

julesmom replied: Have you seen this? Does this mean she might be able to go?

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fullt...500050K10-20.12

(105 ILCS 5/10‑20.12) (from Ch. 122, par. 10‑20.12)
Sec. 10‑20.12. School year ‑ School age. To establish and keep in operation in each year during a school term of at least the minimum length required by Section 10‑19, a sufficient number of free schools for the accommodation of all persons in the district who are 5 years of age or older but under 21 years of age, and to secure for all such persons the right and opportunity to an equal education in such schools; provided that children who will attain the age of 5 years on or before September 1 of the year of the 1990‑1991 school term and each school term thereafter may attend school upon the commencement of such term. Based upon an assessment of a child's readiness to attend school, a school district may permit a child to attend school prior to the dates contained in this Section. In any school district operating on a full year school basis children who will attain age 5 within 30 days after the commencement of a term may attend school upon the commencement of such term. The school district may, by resolution of its board, allow for a full year school plan.
(Source: P.A. 87‑359.)

coasterqueen replied:
Yes, this is the school code I am using to reference in our letter. Thanks.