Skipping a Grade

My daughter is just 9 and recently completed fourth grade. She started in a private kindergarten. Then the public school had her skip first grade and go into second. We are ready to move again and wonder if we should hold her back in fourth grade. Is it too late to do this? Currently, she has no issues, but we are worried about middle and high school. -- Future Worries
Answer: This will be your daughter's third change of schools. Admittedly, the transition to both middle school and high school can be difficult for some students. Being able to survive and thrive in past changes is definitely to her credit. No one can predict the future and know if she will have trouble handling middle and high school. Most students who skip a grade continue to do well. Looking at research on this topic online could help reassure you about your daughter's ability to handle more advanced schooling.
Three years ago you relied on the public school's decision to have her skip a grade, and it seems to have worked out well. Retention is rarely a good option, so why not ask the new school to evaluate her academically to see if this grade placement is correct? You have the whole summer if she needs to catch up on any skills.