Son is Behind at Public School

by Angie
(Broken Arrow, OK, USA)

My son is behind at public school. We want to pull him out of public school and home school to catch up and then send him back. He is in the fourth grade, it is February and he is doing 3rd grade-4th month level work. My husband and I would like to pull him out and catch him up to his peers so that he can stay with his current group. Is this possible to do or would it be too overwhelming for him to try and be ready to go back in August for 5th grade?

Reply to Son is Behind at Public School:

Angie, this is really tough for me to answer. Please know I am a homeschool mom from day one and saw the benefits of homeschooling through my children's high school years which carried them successfully into college. Quite honestly, I see the benefits still and they are all adult children now.

Let me start by saying some boys are late starters which is perfectly normal. Read Better Late than Early by Raymond and Dorothy Moore. That does not really answer his being allowed to stay with his current group, but it may put your mind at ease if you choose to homeschool him. Every child is different, and you will learn from the book children, especially boys, blossom at different stages of development.

In trying to answer your question, I am not familiar with Oklahoma’s system. I don’t know what he is behind in exactly or what qualifies a student to move on to the 5th grade. I don’t know your son at all, so I cannot honestly say whether or not it would be overwhelming for him to be ready to go back in August for 5th grade.

Have you talked about it with your son? Have you asked him how he would feel about staying back a year? Have you asked if he wants to even be homeschooled? Knowing the answer to these questions will help you to make an informed decision.

It sounds like the public school put him "behind", so I must ask, if you and your husband are unhappy with the results, why you would want to return him there? If it was me, I would homeschool him until he felt comfortable going back, however long that may take. He would most likely need to take some kind of assessment exam to know what grade level to enter him back into the public school. But I truly believe it would be in his best interest to keep him home, maybe even until he graduates high school. You asked a long-time homeschooler, so I think you probably knew what my answer was going to be!

I trust you will make the right decision for you and your family. All the best to you.