Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Considering grade skip

Here, in elementary, PE is twice a week. Once in Jr. High (7th and 8th grade), its daily.

My DD13 has it 2 days/week. My DD17, a Senior, takes cyber gym, as do many in her class. As she's in Marching Band, she's exempt from the cardio part, so she need to record and have confirmed 15 hours of strength training in the 1 semester of gym. Plus many hours of PC-based training/testing. Frankly, it's much more work than actually taking gym, but she wanted room for other classes.

Regarding skipping, I would also recommend the IAS. If nothing else, it provides a lot of things to think about and helps quantify at least some aspects of the decision.

From a personal perspective, I skipped and never had problems.

Sallymom, have you talked to your dd about the skip? My dd7 skipped K and is in 3rd grade now. She would have been young for her grade to begin with and now she is really young. But she manages wonderfully and is still bored with the pace at school. The only issue is that she doesn't have a single best friend. But she is an introvert and lives inside her head a lot. So I doubt if the grade skip played any role. She is happy and would gladly vote for one more skip😊 IMHO, you have to meet the needs you can and solve the problems as they happen. The fact that your dd's school is supportive of the skip and suggesting is a great sign that you are likely to get their support to solve any problems that might arise from the skip. All the best with your decision.

Thought some of you might enjoy reading this student's account of radical acceleration, and reflections on the experience.

Speaking from experience: A radically accelerated gifted student
by Noel Jett
November 02, 2017
The High Flyer
Thomas B.Fordham Institute

I have 2 DS born just after the cutoff, one DD born just before the cutoff, so our choices have been old for grade/young for grade/young for grade + extra grade skip. Same schools, same family, but so far, three different choices for three different kids.

DS11 was entered early so youngest in grade, but within range as it were, and also tall for his age so it was never noticeable unless a birthday came round. Additional grade skip from 3rd into 5th (gifted track in middle school) was mooted. We ended up refusing, because it would have meant starting middle school across town at age 8, he had made friends in 3rd he didn’t want to leave, which was an accomplishment for this socially awkward little professor, he’d always disliked being the youngest and the school wasn’t exactly in favour either. Now he’s in 6th in the gifted track, smack bang in the middle of the age group because of the many skippers and negotiating the city buses like a pro. Still coasting, making As and Bs with minimal efforts but has friends and isn’t bored. On the current schedule, he will be 17 on finishing high school. I want him to consider a gap year abroad, either between 10th and 11th or after school.

DD7 was regular entry but young for grade. Her classroom was a 1st/2nd split and the teacher wanted her in 2nd by Christmas. For this year, the choice was go into 3rd with the other 2nd graders with one good friend (and looped teacher) or go into a newly made up 2nd grade class with another good friend with unknown teacher. Another year in 2nd really wasn’t an option and teacher was by now really pushing for skip. So we went ahead with it. Academically of course she’s fine, and she has made her first 3rd grade friend, but dislikes being even more of a standout - two years younger than some now and she is tiny to begin with. I confess I am still worried socially. She is so clearly NOT a 3rd grader yet. On the current schedule, she will be either 16 or 17 on finishing high school, depending on her choice for middle school. The gifted track across town, where she is likely to be with other grade skippers, goes up to 12th, the middle school next door to her elementary, where her father teaches, goes up to 13th (we live right on a state line). Again, I am planning on a gap year for her.

DS5 is severely physically disabled with a speech and graphomotor delay and has only just been mainstreamed in preschool. Cognitively, he should be in 1st next year, entered early and young for grade. Physically and sociology-emotionally is a different story. Having him old for grade (with regular entry) won’t make him less disabled, but his compensation skills may be more established. Again, it’s a dilemma. He will be 18 or 19 on finishing high school, and the choice will, again, be more determined by his physical needs rather than his cognitive needs. If he wants a gap year, it should probably be after high school.

There are no hard and fast answers.