Grandma Prepared to Take on the North Carolina School Board

Unless I do something within the next year, my grandson is going to have to spend another year in daycare--instead of heading off to kindergarten like he ought to be.

In 2007, a North Carolina state law was passed pushing the birthdate required to enter kindergarten up to August 31. It used to be October 16. My grandson's birthday in September 6.

I have been told I can get him tested at MY expense to see if he would qualify for an early entrance. My expense is the equivalent to several hundred dollars and he must have a passing rate in the 98 percentile. He must be able to read and do math.

So maybe that explain some issues involving some adults I know. They were let into kindergarten before their time.

The following is a list of states and cut-off dates for kindergarten. Your child, grandchild or some else's child you know may also be affected:

Alabama- September 1

Alaska- August 15

Arizona- September 1

Arkansas-September 15

British Columbia, Canada- December 31

California-December 3

Colorado- September 15

Connecticut-January 1

Florida-September 1

Georgia- September 1

Hawaii-December 31

Idaho- September 1

Illinois-September 1

Iowa- September 1 or 15

Kansas-August 31

Kentucky-October 1

Louisiana- September 30 (except Orleans Parish 12/31)

Maine-October 15

Maryland-Entering kindergartners must be 5 by Dec. 31

Massachusetts-September 1

Michigan-December 1

Minnesota-September 1

Mississippi-September 1

Missouri-AUGUST 1 (moved from July 1)

Montana-December 2

Nebraska-October 15

Nevada-September 30

New Hamshire-September 30

New Jersey-November 30

New Mexico

New York-November 30

North Carolina-AUGUST 31

North Dakota- December 2

Ohio-September 30

Oklahoma- September 1

Oregon-September 1

Pennsylvania (dates vary from district to district)

Rhode Island- Variable from September 1 to December 31

South Carolina- September 1

Texas-September 1

Utah-August 31

Vermont-dates vary from 9/1 to 1/1

Virginia-September 30

Washington- August 31

West Virginia- September 1

Wisconsin-September 1

Puerto Rico- September 1