Clarifying the Confusion About Grade Levels
September 1st is an important date for home schoolers. It’s the date ESD’s use to initially assign the grade level of six year olds who will be home schoolers. The administrative rules are clear that this grade level is kindergarten.* In another place seven-year-olds are identified as first graders.** Still, there remains a lot of confusion and unintentional miscommunication surrounding the question, “What grade is your student in?” And, following this is the potentially more stressful question, “When do I have my student take the required test?”
Why is this? Well, partly because the rules regulating the age and grade of home schooled students and public/private schooled students are different. Adding to the confusion is the empowerment given to parents by the authors of the administrative rules allowing parents to place their child in a higher grade level if they think that’s best for their child. My hope in writing this brief article is to dispel and relieve the frustration some parents are experiencing regarding grade levels and the state’s testing requirement.
Home schooled children are exempt from compulsory attendance requirements. Nevertheless, they are required to notify their local Education Service District of their intent to home school when their child is 6 on or before September 1st. The default grade level assigned to the child at this time is “starting kindergarten.” Required testing follows at the end of these grade levels: 3, 5, 8, 10. The following illustrates how this works.
Assume you notified your ESD of your intent to home school your 6-year-old for the 2024-2025 school year. The grade progression would look like this:
At the end of the third-grade school year (2027-2028), the student is required to take an achievement test no later than August 15th. At the end of the 2029-2030 school year (not shown), an ending 5th grade test will be required. At the end of 2032-3033 school year, an ending 8th grade test will be required, and so on.
So again, why the confusion? As mentioned before, the rules regulating public and private school grades and ages are different. They consider a 6 year old to be starting first grade, not kindergarten. The public/private school progression looks like this:
As a home schooler, you get to decide which progression you want to follow. While the rule defines a six-year-old on September 1st to be a kindergartener and later confirms a seven-year-old on September 1st to be a first grader, it additionally says the parent may consider their child’s first grade year to be earlier. For many, this means following the public/private school grade and age sequence.
Both the blessing and burden of the rules is the empowerment given to parents to choose their child’s grade and therefore their test. It’s an acknowledgment that they, as parent educators, are in the best position to judge which test their child should take based on academic readiness.
Unfortunately, many home schoolers were unaware they had a choice. With no malice present, many service providers did not know they had a choice either. So, what considerations should influence a parent’s decision? Here are a few thoughts:
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Starting Kindergarten at Age 6 model:
Difficulty reading.
Academic delays in academic areas.
Social immaturity.
Suspected, but not confirmed learning disability.
Starting First Grade at Age 6 model:
The student is reading reasonably well, two to three syllable words by mid age seven.
The likelihood the student will enter public or private school in the future.
The need/desire to be consistent grade-level wise relative to participating in sports, camps, community activities, etc.
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It’s your choice! If in doubt, go with the kindergarten at age 6 model and take the pressure of yourself and your children. You can always advance your child a grade level later on when you’re both truly ready.
Thanks for reading!
Want a good reference tool that lists the learning objectives for grades kindergarten through eight grade? Consider purchasing Basic Skills Essential Learning Objectives. You can view it here!
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From the Oregon Department of Education administrative rules:
* “Child” means a person between ages 6 and 18 whose parent or parents seek exemption from compulsory school attendance under ORS 339.030(1)(e). A child is considered to be six years of age if the sixth birthday of the child occurred on or before September 1 immediately preceding the beginning of the current school term. A six-year-old is assumed to be a kindergartner, unless the parent wishes to place the child in a higher grade.
** Testing for grade levels 3, 5, 8, and 10 shall occur in the third, fifth, eighth, and tenth year ending August 15. The first year is defined as when the child is seven on September 1, or earlier at the parent’s discretion.
