Q: I have a four-and-a-half-year-old daughter who was assessed at age three-and-a-half and found to be highly gifted. At that time, I requested that she enter a four-year-old preschool class rather than a three-year-old class. She has a late October birthday and just misses the cutoff date. The teacher made no exceptions, explaining the importance of not pushing her ahead.

Now, my daughter is mid-year in a three-year-old class with ten boys and four girls. She is one of the oldest and resists going the two mornings a week. She has complained of the boys' aggressiveness and seems to let out her anger on her little brother after she gets home. If anything, she seems to have regressed this year. She can be bossy and sometimes refuses to do things asked of her.

My concern now is that she is registered for kindergarten this fall, and though she is far beyond ready academically, she has such a bad taste for school and seems socially and emotionally questionable for kindergarten. It was explained to us that she is two standard deviations above the norm. Is this reason enough to start her, and what do we watch for in terms of readiness for school?

A: Some states are flexible in regard to kindergarten entrance. For example, in Ohio, a child whose birthday falls within three months of the deadline may be tested by a school or private psychologist for early entrance. Two standard deviations above the mean would equate to an IQ of approximately 130, which does fit in the gifted range. The psychologist would also be likely to assess intellectual, social and emotional readiness before making a recommendation.

You are correct that a child who is unchallenged or bored in school can become disappointed with the learning process. However, sometimes children are disappointed with school for other reasons. For example, if your daughter has difficulty with friends or is unaccustomed to sharing attention, those issues could also turn her off to school.

It's important to get further information from a psychologist before you make your decision, but there is considerable research suggesting that intellectually gifted children who are ready for kindergarten may benefit both academically and socially from early entrance.

Dr. Sylvia Rimm, Phd

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