how common it is for gifted kids to skip K? I have not even approached it with my district, assuming it was not an option, or thought it would have to be fought for tooth and nail.. BUt it does make more sense then skipping later. My HG+ DD5 who will start K this september has already asked "why can't i go right to second grade?" becuase she is so accustomed to doing her brothers first grade homework side by side with him that it just makes sense to her to skip. The only thing she hasn't mastered from the kindergarden curriculum that they gave to us in orientation is "the calender" which she's never had an interest in except for when her birthday is near. The other things like "be able to identify eight colors.", "count to 20", etc. made me just laugh. I really think that is low for even typical/average kids.
When ds8 was in k, they did a pre-assessment, where they didn't seem to expect kids to know any numbers or letters. He did great of course, knowing numbers/counting/some light adding/taking away, his letters, colors, etc. I mean, he's known his colors since before he was 2.
By first he was bored and isolated and sad, now in 3rd we have a real problem on our hands, but we are handling it and I see some improvement in mood, desire to learn, and even a few older friends and some in his gt program (thank goodness!). And he does not sound nearly as advanced as your dd, or most kids on this board! - and he is one of the youngest for the class, having a summer birthday. Glad I didn't 'hold him back' to develop his maturity.
I am *not* assuming anything with our 2nd, dd3 is already reading a few sight words and getting more under her belt each day. She is not as strong spatially as ds, but still does great on puzzles and such. I called our district, apparently they don't allow early entrance to Kindergarten but will certainly take a child transferring into 1st who was enrolled in kindergarten privately, even if they are young for first grade. I am a little worried that dd will be expecting to get on the bus like everybody else for her first year of school (and I haven't 100% totally decided to go for it yet) but I hope if I explain that it's more like preschool for her and then she will go to the regular school that she will be ok with it. I think I have to sign a waiver that I will be ok with holding her back if she fails to perform in 1st grade.
It's too bad in a lot of ways - if she could just start k early (4.5 by my calculations) she would be on the bus with her brother for his last year of elementary. That would probably drive him crazy, so maybe it's for the best.
Anyway, I guess I would recommend you get information from your school district or even state government website/office as to what are the actual laws.
