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The decision last week by the State Board of Education to decrease the age gap among children entering kindergarten will not significantly impact enrollment or curriculum in Easton, Region 9 School Superintendent Michael Cicchetti said.
"I think that it will help the students be closer in readiness for learning," Cicchetti said. "I often worry about the [children with] December birthdays who come into kindergarten, may be a little bit young but ready to start. ... It could put them at a disadvantage."
The current cutoff date is for a child to turn 5 by Jan. 1. If the board's decision is approved by the legislature, the cutoff date will move to Oct. 1. The change would be phased in over four years, and the cutoff is similar to dates in other states.
"Parents of children who have fall and late fall birthdays really struggle with the decisions of whether or not to send them to school," he said. "Just given the difference in age, at that age, you can see where it could be challenging."
In Weston, Hurlbutt Elementary School PTO President Caroline Schreder said, "This decision just really reflects what parents have been doing for a few years now, by holding fall birthday kids back anyway. I also think it is much more in-line what almost all U.S. states do already."
Do you agree with this change? Is the age range in kindergarten classrooms too large? Did you hold your kid back or push them ahead? Why?
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