Daughter Struggling

I would be concerned too. She'll learn what she needs and I dislike that they are treating her "special". It's one thing to give help like you are doing at night. It's another thing to start to give her the impression that she can't do things as well as others. This could follow her through out her years in school. Have you discussed the idea of letting her repeat Kindergartin?

Make an appointment with the teacher. If you need to move her back to K, do it now. Don't wait until later when it's harder...
The other thing you might do is spend some time in the classroom. Volunteer. See for yourself what is happening. It might be that her placement in the classroom is hindering her learning/hearing/doing.
She might need to be tested -- again, do it sooner rather than later. Make the school help you help her.
LBC

My son struggled in school, and when the lights came on to how bad he was actually struggling, I was heartbroken and cried a river that night.
Although I don't feel capable of home schooling on my own, we chose cyber school. It gave us the option of virtual classrooms, where they sign in at a certain time each day for each class, or self paced. We chose self paced.
I was thrilled with the curriculum and the school! Very interesting books, along with links online to great learning videos that were interesting.
Unfortunately for us, my son had a hard time self motivating, which made the school day drag on, so that option didn't work for us. This year he's in a new school, and I very much like it, so we'll see!
But I wanted to mentioned cyber school, and the difference from home schooling, for those who felt like me. It can be a fantastic choice if you are able to stay on a routine.
If you do speak to her teacher, and decide that repeating kindergarten is what's best for your daughter, please don't let this play games with your mind about your daughter's intelligence. Where I live, they actually have head start, pre-K, K, pre-first, and then first....so they apparently feel there is a lot of room for variety in learning levels at that young, tender age.
And also, my son had to repeat a grade because he struggled so much. Many of his days were days of being overwhelmed because he didn't understand the work. I didn't want him to have to repeat a grade, but it was really best for him.

Set up an appointment with the teacher AND the school psychologist. During that meeting ask every question you can think of and encourage them to share with you what the teacher has observed. Ask the psychologist to do a classroom observation of your child BEFORE the meeting.

As a former school psychologist, I always appreciated being offered the opportunity to observe a child in the classroom before meeting with the parent. His/her training is to look at your child's behavior AND the teacher's behavior within the context of learning.

If the psychologist talks with you about screening or testing, I would suggest that you give consent. There's no harm in testing. If your child needs additional help, that's the most effective avenue you and the school have.

The process to test a child is quite long. From the time you sign the consent form to the time a committee meets with you, it can take up to 60 days. So... you're looking at a mid-November meeting.

Time is on her side right now because she's so young. Call Monday and see if the teacher and psychologist are available late next week and ask that the observation be done prior to that meeting. You may have to send something in writing giving the psychologist permission to do so ahead of time, but he/she will let you know when you call!

I would set up an appt to talk to the teacher. Find out exactly what is going on and find out how to best help your daughter. Does your daughter come home from school sad and/or frustrated or is she overall happy with being at school? I would be less worried if she is still enjoying it. You don't want her to dislike school when she has barely gotten started. I wish you the best of luck. I know it is very hard as parents to feel that our little ones are struggling when we aren't there to help. I have a 1st grade daughter so I completely understand. Good luck!

Check out the book "How to Teach your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons". In just 15 minutes a day I was able to teach my child to read. By day 60 she could read any easy reader.
FYI... My daughter was tested years ago. Part of the testing included observing her in the class room. When the teacher said open to page X, my daughter was the last one to do so. It took my daughter about 5 minutes to get the book out as instructed by the teacher. Her one teacher thought perhaps she was having some kind of dazing seizure. After all the testing it turned out my daughter was academically "gifted". She is in 8th grade now and is still somewhat of a day dreamer.
Keep working with her at home but since she is performing beautifully for you try not to worry to much. If you still have concerns though get her tested. My daughter's testing started in 3rd grade.

I feel for you!

We're going the homeschool route for kindergarten because our district is bad, but I think you may be better off leaving her in class, appreciating that she is behind, and bringing her up to speed. I wouldn't take her back to kindergarten, personally. Think of kids who move to foreign countries and have to just "catch up". My good friend moved to Germany in 3rd grade, spoke no German, and by the end of the year was up to speed with class work and speaking German.

What I MIGHT do, if you are able to schedule wise, is homeschool her until 2nd grade. Use this year to get her completely caught up on her reading and writing and all the material she would get in a good school for kindergarten and 1st grade. All the materials are available to you, and rather than just doing a couple hrs a day for regular 1st grade, you may have to do more, but she can be all caught up by second grade.

If not, I would leave her where she is, get the same materials, and hang in there and help her catch up after school. If she masters all the material in the books "What you Kindergartner should know and What your First Grader should know" plus workbooks thru 1st grade level (available at target, wal mart, amazon), she should be up to speed. Everyone needs to be patient. She'll catch up! Good luck!

Intervention Based Assessment. It's like a pre special ed evaluation.

Can she switch to K?

Well I did like Amy J. only I let my son start at a bad district like you did with your daughter, he did K and first before we were told there were problems. When we brought him home to homeschool, via an online public school, we restarted in K math and reading, even though he was in second grade. He's now in 5th grade, homeschooled and caught up although we still do outside tutoring to help him, and me. My daughter just entered school in another nearby district in 3rd grade, she has never attended public school and is doing wonderfully. she has a ton of friends, and is ahead of the class. So don't think for a second if you homeschool for a short time you will hurt your daughter socially.

All that aside, homeschooling isn't for everyone. Let the school test your daughter, talk to them about the results. Could be there is an issue, could be she's just behind, don't stress the labels or the testing. Whatever the reason the school is obligated to help her. They can get funding and get extra teachers to help her get caught up and that is what is important. At this young age the other kids don't notice or care, later is when it can be an issue. And talk to your daughter, if she's unhappy and moving her back to K is an option, then go for it, again right now she is young enough it won't matter like it would if she were in middle school or high school. But if she's happy where she is then take the help, keep working with her, and let her stay where she is.

Good luck.