After Backlash, Melrose Schools Reverses Stance On K Eligibility

MELROSE, MA — Melrose Public Schools is easing off its insistence that students who turn 6 before September not attend kindergarten following a barrage of angry parents frustrated their children are at risk of falling behind even more.

Parents were shocked Tuesday to receive an email saying their children were not eligible for kindergarten even if they had their sixth birthday on or before Sept, 1, a reversal of how the district has long handled such instances.

The letter, signed by Student and Staff Information Coordinator Brittney Ferguson, cited School Committee policy that states: "Children who are five years old on or before September 1st of any year are eligible to enroll in kindergarten for the school year commencing in September. Children who are six years old on or before September 1st of any year are eligible to enroll in grade one for the school year commencing in September.

Some parents sounded off in Facebook groups, while others took their complaints to Tuesday night's School Committee meeting. The policy, they said, was being misinterpreted to say if a child was eligible for first grade then they were automatically ineligible for kindergarten.

Parents told Patch on Wednesday they received a call from Ferguson saying the district "made an error" and their children would be eligible for kindergarten.

Superintendent Julie Kukenberger told Patch the letter went out to 12 families out of the 282 who had pre-registered for kindergarten. She said the letter was to notify them their children were eligible for first grade, but after speaking with those families the district is working to get "the most appropriate placement for the upcoming school year."

Kukenberger said there was a mistake in looking at the birthdates.

"Our goal is to ensure that students of all ages remain on track at the appropriate grade level for their age, recognizing that we may have to adapt the curriculum and the pace of learning across the board to make up for any learning loss caused by the pandemic," Kukenberger said in an email. "We will continue to work closely with families to make educational choices that ultimately lead to student success."

Many parents have held their eligible 6-year-old children back to attend kindergarten — a process colloquially known as "redshirting" — in an effort to help them catch up on a social, emotional or educational level.

That has become even more of a concern after a year of pandemic-induced online learning, which has proven to be especially difficult for younger learners.

Mike Carraggi can be reached at mike.carraggi@patch.com. Follow him on Twitter @PatchCarraggi. Subscribe to Melrose Patch for free local news and alerts and like us on Facebook.