M.B.
I am a first grade teacher in a Texas public school and in all my 20 yrs have only had one child that successfully skipped kindergarten and enrolled in first a year younger than their peers. I am in fact retaining a child that started first this year as a five year old and turned 6 the end of August.
Alot of times it is not that the child is not smart enough or can not do the academics but it is a maturity thing. School is so stressful now I can not imagine even if my child could do the work wanting them to be a year behind everyone else in age.
I also am unaware of any "first grade test" that they can take and start a year early.
My own first child who is now grown turned 6 in Aug before beginning school and I regret not holding her back. The children who are the oldest in the class are usually more secure and ready academically and socially. My third child had an Oct birthday and was then one of the oldest and she is the one who did great academically and socially, having the highest average in her class all the way through elementary, being president of her student body in Jr High and then homecoming queen her senior year. Her experience was hands down better than my daughter who was the youngest in her class. With that in mind I would want to give my child that advantage.
There are parents who put their children in advanced classes in Jr. High where they then advance through High School in three years instead of four, but I have not seen that to be a great advantage for anyone either. They are still too young to really handle going away to college. I agree with the moms who say let them be kids and let them be the best one in kinder and enjoy all the security that comes with that. They are not bored despite what their mamas think, they are all busy and learning how to handle themselves in the world which is a big enough task especially after being home schooled.