Question about age cut-off dates?

[dubatatamama]

DS will be 5 in January. So he would start K in Sept. 2011 were he attending PS.  Our compulsory attendance ages are 6-16, and K is not mandatory in the state of MA.  So, my question is, since he would turn 6 during his K year and the compulsory age is 6, do I need to report to the district for the 2011-2012 school year coming up?  Here is what the DOE website reads, but I seem to be having trouble processing it:

 

My child turns 6 after September 1, do I need to report and if so, when?

 

A: First, determine your local district's cut-off date by visiting this Department of Education website, http://www.doe.mass.edu/ess/kindergarten.aspx, OR by calling your local school district for updated information. The cut-off date will tell you whether your child would be considered eligible for kindergarten or first grade in September. Whether your child would be eligible for kindergarten or first grade according to local cut-off dates, you are still responsible for notifying the school district that you will be homeschooling by September of the calendar year in which your child turns 6. (Note that this refers to the "calendar" year and not the "school" year, which spans two calendar years.) According to the DOE, kindergarten is, in effect, mandatory for those children who will be 6 between September and December 31 of that calendar year, but who are not yet eligible for first grade according to local districts. 

 

 

My thought is that because he does not turn 6 until the calendar year 2012, that I am safe until September 2012, right?

 

Any input or other MA homeschoolers out there?

[34me]

I would agree with you

[4evermom]

I'm not from MA but I agree with you, too.  It clearly says calendar year.  

[jessid]

We are from MA and in the exact same situation with our daughter who is born 1.06. Would love to hear what others say. K is also not mandatory. So I assume no reporting until 9/2012.

[dubatatamama]

I have a friend whose DD is one month younger than my DS and she keep saying we need to report next year, and I didn't think that was right!

jessid-what part of MA are you in?  We are in Plymouth.

[LoMaH]

Originally Posted by dubatatamama 

 

A: First, determine your local district's cut-off date by visiting this Department of Education website, http://www.doe.mass.edu/ess/kindergarten.aspx, OR by calling your local school district for updated information. The cut-off date will tell you whether your child would be considered eligible for kindergarten or first grade in September. Whether your child would be eligible for kindergarten or first grade according to local cut-off dates, you are still responsible for notifying the school district that you will be homeschooling by September of the calendar year in which your child turns 6. (Note that this refers to the "calendar" year and not the "school" year, which spans two calendar years.)

 

According to the DOE, kindergarten is, in effect, mandatory for those children who will be 6 between September and December 31 of that calendar year, but who are not yet eligible for first grade according to local districts. 

I think you are totally right.

According to what you posted above, if your K child's still 5 from Sept-Dec of that calendar year, K's not mandatory for him.

Have you tried joining any local homeschooling yahoo groups?

http://groups.yahoo.com/

[dubatatamama]

Thanks LoMaH!

I am part of 3 yahoo groups here, but the friend who is insisting that I am wrong about when to report is on the same lists and I don't want her to see that I asked the group's opinion after asking her. But I am confident in my answer now, so I feel better!

Thanks guys!