[FoRK] to skip or not to skip

[Corinna Schultz]

Do any of you have an opinion on the notion of skipping a grade? I'm
wondering if I should push for it for my daughter (she's in 2nd grade
right now, in a mixed 2nd/3rd grade class). I casually broached the
idea at the beginning of the school year, just to plant the idea in
her teacher's head, and got a "hmmm" kind of response.  Most school
are very reluctant to skip grades, for some reason, but if I made a
pest of myself, perhaps I could get them to. She's above grade level
on just about everything, except, perhaps, writing composition; she's
very bright (they're going to test her for the TAG label at some
point) and socially well-adjusted if a bit naive. Skipping a grade
probably won't matter in the short term, since elementary school
focuses on reading and math, but I think it would serve her well in
Middle and High school, and I think it's easier to adjust if it's done
early.

I've read that research generally supports the idea of skipping a
grade, if there's no social issues, and I myself skipped 2nd grade
with no ill effects, and my sister skipped half of kindergarten. In
fact, I think it was good for us because of a more mature peer group,
and being able to finish school earlier.