Due to being born 24 days late, autistic child must repeat 4K

My son, Beau, is autistic. He started 3k in Bay County, Florida, public schools, in 2006. Naturally, When school began last year, at age 3, in August, a month before he turned 4, he began 4k. He has developed wonderfully in the program. This year, when we were trying to finalize his school plans, ONE WEEK before the school year started, we were informed due to his birthday being September 25, and the state having a September 1st cut off, he would be placed back into 4K. This is in direct violation of his IEP, which states his grade of entry for this year to be Kindergarten, and goes on further to detail his entry into a couple of mainstream courses this year for socialization. This will not only be academically damaging, as he has already tested at almost a first grade skill level, with over 150 sight words, but emotionally, and psychologically damaging as well. Autistic children thrive on continuity. Beau has been with the same group of children his entire experience, and now, not only was he losing his beloved Pre-K teacher, he will lose his peers he is familiar with, his only friends, as they move on.
If the 24 days were so important, why was he allowed to start 3K, or last year, start 4K at age 3, approx 3 weeks shy of his birthday?
I have spoken to the School Superintendent, who states they just follow the law, I have spoken to the Department of Education, who say, while it is law, ultimately, it is up to the school board. It's a game of he says, she says, and Beau will be the ultimate loser. If the school board is not willing to relax it's regulations for a matter of days, then the state legislation needs to be changed so this doesn't happen to another child, especially a child who is special needs and has progressed so beautifully, and faces spiraling backwards due to stiff necked politics.

All I ask is for your support, to tell the state, and the county that this is not right. To punish an autistic child for being born 24 days late. If they had wanted to stick with this policy, then they should have restricted him from entering the prior school year as a first year student, not second year student.
I will be trying to keep up with this on a website, www.pcveracity.us
Wish us luck!

My son, Beau, is autistic. He started 3k in Bay County, Florida, public schools, in 2006. Naturally, When school began last year, at age 3, in August, a month before he turned 4, he began 4k. He has developed wonderfully in the program. This year, when we were trying to finalize his school plans, ONE WEEK before the school year started, we were informed due to his birthday being September 25, and the state having a September 1st cut off, he would be placed back into 4K. This is in direct violation of his IEP, which states his grade of entry for this year to be Kindergarten, and goes on further to detail his entry into a couple of mainstream courses this year for socialization. This will not only be academically damaging, as he has already tested at almost a first grade skill level, with over 150 sight words, but emotionally, and psychologically damaging as well. Autistic children thrive on continuity. Beau has been with the same group of children his entire experience, and now, not only was he losing his beloved Pre-K teacher, he will lose his peers he is familiar with, his only friends, as they move on.
If the 24 days were so important, why was he allowed to start 3K, or last year, start 4K at age 3, approx 3 weeks shy of his birthday?
I have spoken to the School Superintendent, who states they just follow the law, I have spoken to the Department of Education, who say, while it is law, ultimately, it is up to the school board. It's a game of he says, she says, and Beau will be the ultimate loser. If the school board is not willing to relax it's regulations for a matter of days, then the state legislation needs to be changed so this doesn't happen to another child, especially a child who is special needs and has progressed so beautifully, and faces spiraling backwards due to stiff necked politics.

All I ask is for your support, to tell the state, and the county that this is not right. To punish an autistic child for being born 24 days late. If they had wanted to stick with this policy, then they should have restricted him from entering the prior school year as a first year student, not second year student.
I will be trying to keep up with this on a website, www.pcveracity.us
Wish us luck!

We the petitioners do hereby request that if the Bay County School Board cannot find it within their scope to follow the student's IEP, which is federally protected and if needed, create an exception, and allow Beau Lewis, an autistic student who already completed 3K and 4K, to continue to the Kindergarten (PER HIS IEP), despite a 24 day differential, that the state legislators, and representatives hear our plaintive request, and alter the law so no other child is left behind in this manner again.
Thank you.