Michigan Votes Forum

 It's about the children, right????? 

 So, our state is broke already...but let's get more kids into school so we can shovel more money into the schools that are already not managing well the money that they have.  5 year olds don't belong in kindergarten, nor do 4 year olds.  Mandating the school age to be 5 (and that is exactly the path this bill is paving) won't help the children.  It will put more of them on medications, and cause more stress both for children and for families.  Let our babies be babies and play for as long as they can.  They weren't meant to spend hours and hours in a classroom every day!

 You have it backwards.  This is pushing the age back.  Right now the cut off is December, so there are 4 year olds that don't turn 5 till December starting!  This would make kids have to at least be 5 to start.  I totally support it.  It puts Michigan in line with most of the rest of the country.

 I believe you're correct. I'll bet with fewer children starting kindergarten, at least for one year, that the state still spends as much total dollars.

 You'll be kicking yourself when these children are the ones who will be running our country. Our kids have to be educated and catch up with the other countries that are taking over our nation. Maybe you haven't realized that young children are like sponges and learn rahter quiclky at a young age!!!  If you continue to think your child is a "BABY" that is exactly how he/she will perform in school. Then what are you going to do when your child is held back because you haven't preapred them for an education!!!!!  Four year olds do not blong in Kindergaretn but Five year old most definatley do!! if you want to continue to raise your "BABY" go for it. Kindergarten is NOT required by the state. I dare you to see what happens when you put your child in 1st grade without going to Kindergarten.

I don't see why they have to change the date that the child has to turn 5 by, there was nothing wrong with Dec now your going to have a bunch of kids that are ready knowledge wise to start school but have to wait awhole other year to start. I teach Pre-Kindergarten and if the kids I have now would have to wait to start that would be terrible, these kids are smarter than most adults. Now the kids that I would have taken next year I won't because they won't be of school age to start Kindergarten the following school year.

 Pre-K is exactly what these kids need.  Your kids may be smart enough to start Kindergarten but are they mature enough to start?  December 1st is way to late to be turning 5 and starting kindergarten. My daughter's bday is in January, so the kid that just turned 5 in November  is a whole year younger than my daughter.  That is huge when it is 20% of your life.... not to mention, these immature kids that start kindergarten early NEVER catch up emotionally.  They are usually the hard to handle ones in the upper grades (and yes, I teach upper elementary).  Michigan is one of a very few states that have such a late date... it is about time we changed this to give the kids the best possible start.  If parents feel their kid is that smart and should be in school, put them in pre-k or maybe consider doing something at home. 

 There are a lot of arguments from both sides (advocates of earlier or later admission). No one should forget, that parental care, especially in early years of young human, is something that could not be overestimated. It is not only the matter of education, but also emotional development of child.

www.kindergarten-duesseldorf.de

 I've never understood why the age cut-off was December and not sometime before the start of school. In other states, they use a mid-calendar year date of say July 1, 2010. Maybe kids would be grouped more by age, but the differientiated instruction being required in schools, why should it really matter.  There's lots of proven brain research that the earlier we start teaching our children, the better their brain development and learning capacities. If the age cut-off date was changed to prior to the start of school then Kindergartners might be closer to the same age, possibly the same developmental age, and might be a bit easier for teachers to teach and allow them to teach MORE to groups of kids closer in age. Why not allow 4 year olds to come to school? Parents get daycare relief, schools get to start teaching kids earlier (maybe giving them less television opportunities) and increase their socials skills (and play skills).

I am not in agreement with this bill being pass, because I have a son who is correctly in Preschool and should be starting Kindergarten in the fall 2012-2013.  If this bill does pass, my son will not have anywhere to go for a whole year, because he turns 5 after Nov. 1.  What will Congress do for those students (such as my son) who will pass Preschool in June of this year?  Will there be a program for them to enter into so they do not fall behind, because they will go whole year without being taught by a license teacher?  I believe they are doing this all wrong and should require each child who is suppose to enter into kindergarten be test.  If the child passes the test, he or she should be allow to enter into kindergarten.  What happen to the Kindergarten Enrollment and Alternative Kindergarten Programs which is the Michigan Compiled Law under MCL 380.1147 and 388.1606 (http://www.michigan.gov/documents/kindergarten_122554_7.pdf)?  This allows school to accept a student whose birthday is after December 1st, but "the district would not be able to claim the child for state school aid purposes."  I really PRAY this bill does not get pass anytime soon!!!!

First off, this bill was introduced in the last legislative session. Since it was not voted on, it died on 12-31-10. However there is nothing to prevent a new bill from being introduced. In the case of your son, I would have to believe that a grandfather clause would be put in place for kids already enrolled in school. 60 minutes recently aired a story about parents purposely red-shirting kids who were born in Sep, Oct and Nov. Children born in those months will start kindergarten at 4 and high school at 13. The book "Outliers" suggests that kids born in the first quarter (Jan, Feb, Mar) are far more successful in academics, sports and social skills than those born late in the year. The kid born in Nov, who starts kindergarten at age 4, will be in the same class with kids who will be turning 6 soon after their 5th birthday. In those early years this is crutial. This also carries over in the later years. Some kids turn 16 in the 2nd half of their sophomore year while others not until the 1st half of their junior year. At 16 you get your drivers license. This a huge advantage to the older kid who wants a summer job, not to mention dating. This is why many parents in the 60 minutes piece red-shirted, or purposely held back, their kids if born late in the year. 

Illinois' cut-off date is September 1st. This prevents anyone from starting kindergarten before age 5. Kids most likely to be held back are those born late.  If you move our date back to Sep 1st, that will be avoided. Better to move an older kid ahead a grade and BOOST their self esteem than hold back a younger kid and lower it.