Public School After Kindergarten

Q. My child is four and will miss the September 30 cut-off date for kindergarten by a few days. If I homeschool him this year, will they take him as a first grader next year in public school? A. You can definitely begin homeschooling your child and use an appropriate level kindergarten curriculum. There are no Virginia homeschool notification requirements because he is not five by September 30. If you continue to homeschool him, he will always be at the grade level that is best for him. Home education allows a parent to choose an individualized curriculum that is appropriate for a child’s age and maturity. It is parent-controlled education–you decide on the curriculum and schedule that best fits your child’s needs, maturity, and learning style. However, if you put him in government school after homeschooling him for a year, local school personnel will determine his grade level based on their policy, not his individual needs. There is no guarantee the public school will enroll him in first grade.