Can parents choose whether twins are in the same class?

In some states, yes. Minnesota was the first state to give parents that choice by law. Check your state, and talk to the school either way.

When should twins be split into different classes?

When one twin leans on the other, when they get compared all day, or when one of them asks for it. Same school, different rooms is a good middle step.

Should Twins Be in the Same Class at School?

Q: Should twins be in the same class at school?

There is no one right answer. A 2018 study of twins in the UK and Canada found that being in the same class or separate classes made almost no difference to grades or motivation. Decide based on what each twin needs.

Every August, parents of twins have the same fight with themselves. Same class or different classes?

I'm not a teacher. I run a sleepaway camp. But I decide where to put twins every summer, so I've thought about this a lot.

What the Research Says

Not much difference either way.

A big 2018 study followed twins in the UK and in Quebec, from age 7 to 16. Being in the same class or different classes made almost no difference to their grades, their scores or their motivation. (Developmental Psychology, White et al.)

The researchers' advice: "policymakers should not impose rigid guidelines to separate twin pairs during their education."

So the answer isn't in a rulebook. It's in your kids.

Questions to Ask Yourself

Does one twin do the talking for both? Separate rooms can help the quiet one find their voice.
Do they get compared all day? Grades, reading level, who's faster. Different rooms take that off the table.
Is one of them asking for space? Take it seriously.
Are they new to the school or scared? Same room for a year might be fine. Try again next year.
Do they fight all the time? That's a reason to split them.

Can You Choose?

In some states, yes. Minnesota was the first state to give parents of twins the choice by law, and others have followed. (Twiniversity)

Even where there's no law, most schools will listen. Go in with your reasons, not just a preference.

What Camp Taught Me

At camp, I almost always put twins in the same age group and different cabins.

They see each other all day. Meals, the lake, evening activity. But at night, each one goes back to their own crew. Their own friends. Their own inside jokes. Nobody calls them "the twins."

That's what a lot of twins need at school too. Not a different school. Just a different room, so each kid gets known as themselves.

If you're not sure, try it at camp first. A summer in separate cabins tells you a lot about how your twins do apart. Then you'll know more for September.

About My Camp

I own Camps Kenwood & Evergreen, a brother-sister sleepaway camp in New Hampshire. Twins at our camp are in the same age group and different bunks, and each gets their own counselors and check-in call.

See how twins do at Camps Kenwood & Evergreen

You got this,

Jack

P.S. Twin parent with a question about camp or school? Text me at 585-451-5141.