Reclassing: The Questions Every Parent Should Ask
First, What Is Reclassing?
It wasn’t long ago that repeating a grade was viewed as a negative thing. As far as anyone knew, only students who struggled in school had to repeat a grade.
However, over the past ten to fifteen years, this once stigmatized practice, which is now called “reclassing”, is viewed differently.
Parents choose reclassing for a variety of reasons, such as for kids who might be late bloomers, or for student-athletes with specific sport-related aspirations.
There Is No Formula.
As an educator, and someone who has personally experienced the impact of reclassing, I have to tell you: there is no “one way” to make a decision about reclassing.
I have seen cases first hand when a reclass decision was beneficial for a student, and others when it was truly detrimental. No matter what the academic or athletic objective, I do not see reclassing as a “must do” to achieve a goal.
When parents ask me “should I reclass my teen?”, my answer is always: “It depends. What are the academic, social, and athletic goals you are trying to achieve?”
As with any consequential decision, my first piece of advice is to gather a LOT of information.
I recommend that parents begin with these questions:
What is your teen’s ultimate goal, and be as specific as possible?
(For example, playing hockey at a D1 school, getting recruited to play college baseball, or going pro.)
Knowing the end goal allows you to work backward and determine whether reclassing actually supports your objectives.
How old is your teen? When is their birthday? Are they on the older or younger end of their current class?
A student's age relative to their classmates impacts their experience more than many families realize.
If you choose not to reclass, how old will your child be when they graduate from high school and then start college?
Think beyond the next year. Consider how this decision affects their timeline for graduation, college enrollment, athletic eligibility, and overall maturity.
What will be the age of your teen’s peer group if you choose to reclass?
Again, this impacts experience more than you might think. How will social milestones feel to your child if their peer group is a year older or younger? Will your teen be socially ready for the inevitable situations that come up in adolescence?
How will my teen’s eligibility be impacted?
Eligibility rules in college sports recently changed. If athletics is driving your decision to consider reclassing, make sure you understand the rules and regulations of the college or university that you are aiming for.
Simply stated, the more information you have to make this decision, the better!
As a parent, I always found that gathering information from people that I trust empowered me to make the best decisions for my own kids. And that’s what I advise for my clients who make these decisions for theirs. Get In Touch if you want to talk more.
Deb
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