Forget kindergarten; let's just put Benji in first grade.

Illinois state law reads that children who turn five by September 1st may attend kindergarten and children who turn six by the same date may attend first grade. (While offering kindergarten is a requirement for Illinois schools, attending it is not required for Illinois students.) The law also allows school districts, if they wish, to allow children to enter early, and in general the districts will base this decision on the child's academic, social and physical development, as well as how close the child's birthday is to the cutoff date. (Some districts give two months leeway; others, three or four.)

Here are the academic requirements for starting kindergarten early in one decent Chicago suburban school district (not ours):

* Recognize both upper and lower case [sic] letters
* Can name initial consonants [sic] sound (when given the words man, met, moon, child says they begin with m)
* Can recognize numbers from 1-10
* Can recognize basic colors
* Can recognize basic shapes

And here are the academic requirements for starting first grade early in the same district:

* Can recognize initial and ending consonant sounds
* Can recognize rhyming sounds
* Can do simple math
* Can count to 100 and recognize the numbers

Depending on the district's definition of "simple math," Benji is either 8 of 9 or 9 of 9 on these requirements. That said, he's not there on some of the large motor skills and social skills. But c'mon: Without early entrance, Benji is still three years from starting kindergarten.

One more interesting fact: In Iowa (as well as other states), schools are required to offer gifted education, and the state will cover the bill. In Illinois (as well as other states), schools are not required to offer gifted education, and if they do offer it, the state gives them nada.