Should a child in kindergarten be eligible to receive special education services? I have mixed feelings! One author within Issue 16, “Taking Sides” edition highlights a valid point: “If five-six year olds are ready for the academic emphasis that defines ‘kindergarten’ practice then they are also ready for special education identification.” I was personally interested in this reading because I have a child who will be attending kindergarten next year. The same author who referenced the above quote also mentioned that retaining and ‘red shirting’ a child could be potentially harmful for a child who may require special needs. So many children have been held back or even waited a year before attending kindergarten; parents have thought this was the right thing to do so their child would not fall behind. As a parent, this makes me nervous. How do we determine normal delays in development opposed to the presence of certain long-term disabilities? How does this affect a child (such as my own) who cannot begin kindergarten until the following year because he barley missed the cutoff to attend the current year? If he is deemed to require special education needs, will this delay be harmful to his educational experience? In order to ensure the success of every student, it is necessary for teachers to always balance, monitor, and adjust curriculum/instruction as necessary.
This is a great post and I really like the questions that you propose concerning the issue. It is a difficult issue that can vary depending on so many factors. It is a very difficult decision to make concerning when to send your child to kindergarten. Especially if you do not know the different signs of a normal delay vs a disability. You have definately got me thinking about this one!
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