Redshirting/Delaying Kindergarten & Special Needs Services

My question is if I hold back my child a year, is there any way to retain state-supplied arrives, I.e., therapies?

The deadline in NY is turning 5 by Dec. 1st. My child has a late birthday, and we do not feel she is emotionally/socially ready for kindergarten. If she was born 30 days later in NY (or in the majority of other states), it wouldn't be an issue. She is currently being evaluated by our school district (who are assuming she will definitely go to kindergarten this fall) and it is a safe assumption she will continue to need speech, OT and/or PT. My question is has anyone been down this road? Have they been able to persuade school district to continue funding some therapy with parents obviously paying for school?

Redshirting/Delaying Kindergarten & Special Needs Services

My understanding is that you are required to register them for Kindergarten to get any services from the district. If she will still need OT, PT and speech, I doubt they will provide all of that without her being enrolled in a district program. You can ask for it, but I think you are in for a very tough fight on this one.

My son also has a late birthday, misses the cutoff by about a week, but given the amount of services he receives and the fact that he had already been in a full day school program, we didn't think we needed to keep him back.

Re: Redshirting/Delaying Kindergarten & Special Needs Services

I think that the school will make you register your child for kindergarten in order to receive services for that year. If your child needs a special ed class than maybe she can be in a K-1 class for 2 years and then progress to a regular 1 class to get the extra year of maturity.

Redshirting/Delaying Kindergarten & Special Needs Services

with related services you can keep a child back, depending on the related services, it varies.

but in order to receive services, you need to register him with the school district

Re: Redshirting/Delaying Kindergarten & Special Needs Services

Just as an FYI, holding a child back in elementary years must be approved by the parent. legally the school cannot tell you to do this, so I think you need to bring this up at your CSE transition meeting. (you may want to bring an advocate with you to help express the benefits of this)

Also, I'm not sure about the specifics, but the law in NYS is about entering first grade - not kindergarten.