Monroe Local School District
Bylaws & Policies
 

5112 - ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

The Board of Education establishes the following entrance age requirements for students, which are consistent with statute and sound educational practice, and directs that all eligible students be treated in an equitable manner.

Preschool

A child is eligible for entrance into preschool if s/he attains the age of three (3) on or before August 1st of the year in which s/he applies for entrance and has not yet attained the age at which s/he will be admitted to kindergarten.

Kindergarten

A child is eligible for entrance into kindergarten if s/he attains the age of five (5) on or before August 1st of the year in which s/he applies for entrance. The Board may admit a younger child to kindergarten if the child satisfies the Board's early entrance criteria. A child under age six (6) who is enrolled in kindergarten will be considered of compulsory school age.

The Board will admit to kindergarten any child who has not attained the entrance age requirement of this District, but who was properly enrolled in a public or chartered nonpublic school kindergarten before transferring to the District.

First Grade

A child is eligible for entrance into first grade if s/he attains the age of six (6) on or before August 1st of the year in which s/he applies for entrance and has completed the kindergarten program of this District or an equivalent program elsewhere and has been recommended by the teacher for advancement to the first grade. The Board may admit to first grade a younger child who has successfully completed kindergarten if the child satisfies the Board's early entrance criteria.

Required Documents

The Superintendent shall require that each child who registers for entrance to school provide:

 

A.

his/her birth certificate or similar documentation authorized by law as proof of age and birthdate;

   
 

B.

a certified copy of any custody order or decree together with any modification in such an order or decree.

If such documents are not provided, the child may be admitted under the Superintendent's guidelines. Appropriate law enforcement authorities shall be notified in the event that required documents are not provided in accordance with the provisions of R.C. 3313.672. However, a child who is placed in a foster home or residential facility (i.e., a group home for children, children’s crisis care facility, children’s residential center, residential parenting facility that provides twenty-four (24) hour child care, county children’s home, or district children’s home) will not be denied admission solely because the child does not present a birth certificate, comparable certification, or other comparable document upon registration. Such protected child will be admitted under temporary enrollment for a period of up to ninety (90) days to present the required documentation. The protected child and/or the child’s parent, guardian, or custodian will be so informed at the time of the child’s initial admission.

Each child entering the District's kindergarten or first grade program for the first time must be properly screened for any medical or health problems as well as those related to hearing, vision, speech and communications. The cost for such screening shall be paid by the District.

Any parent may provide the District with a written statement indicating that s/he does not wish to have his/her child screened.

Early Entrance Criteria

The District provides early admission to kindergarten and first grade for qualified students. Copies of the referral forms for evaluation for early entrance to kindergarten or first grade will be available in each school building. Any student residing in the District may be referred by an educator employed by the District, a preschool educator who knows the child, the child's parent or guardian, or a pediatrician or psychologist who knows the child. The referral shall be made to the principal of the school for evaluation for possible early admission.

Before a student is evaluated for early entrance, the principal (or his/her designee) of the school to which the child may be admitted shall obtain written permission from the child's parent/guardian.

Evaluations related to referrals submitted to the school principal between August 15th and April 15th, will ordinarily be completed and a written report issued within forty-five (45) calendar days of submission of the referral to the school principal. Evaluations related to referrals submitted to the school principal between April 16th and August 14th will ordinarily be completed and a written report issued within forty-five (45) days of the start of the school year.

Children referred for early entrance will be evaluated in a prompt manner. The principal of the school to which the child may be admitted shall convene an acceleration evaluation committee to determine whether early entrance is appropriate for that child. The acceleration evaluation committee shall include the following:

 

A.

a parent/legal guardian or a representative designated by the parent/guardian

   
 

B.

a gifted education coordinator or gifted education specialist, or, if neither is available, a school psychologist or a guidance counselor with expertise in the appropriate use of academic acceleration

   
 

C.

the principal or assistant principal of the school to which the child may be admitted

   
 

D.

a teacher at the grade level to which the student may be admitted

The acceleration evaluation committee shall be responsible for conducting a fair and thorough evaluation of the student. The acceleration evaluation committee will also consider the student's own thoughts on possible accelerated placement in its deliberations.

Children considered for early entrance shall be evaluated using an acceleration assessment process approved by the Ohio Department of Education.

The parent/guardian will be provided with a written summary of the outcome of the evaluation process. This notification shall include instructions for appealing the outcome of the evaluation process.

Appeals must be made in writing to the Superintendent within thirty (30) calendar days of the parent/guardian receiving the results of the evaluation. The Superintendent or his/her designee shall review the appeal and notify the parent/guardian of his/her decision within thirty (30) calendar days of receiving the appeal. The Superintendent or his/her designee's decision will be final.

If a child is recommended for early entrance, the acceleration evaluation committee will develop a written acceleration plan for that child. The plan will specify:

 

A.

placement of the child in the accelerated setting;

   
 

B.

strategies to support successful early entrance; and

   
 

C.

an appropriate transition period for accelerated students.

A school staff member will be assigned to oversee the implementation of the acceleration plan and to monitor the child's adjustment to the early entrance.

At any time during the transition period, a parent/guardian of the child may request in writing that the child be withdrawn from the accelerated placement. In such cases, the principal shall remove the child without repercussions.

Also, at any time during the transition period, a parent/guardian may request in writing an alternative accelerated placement. In such cases, the principal shall direct the acceleration evaluation committee to consider other placement options and to issue a decision within thirty (30) calendar days of receiving the request. If the student will be placed in a different setting from that initially recommended, the acceleration plan shall be revised accordingly, and a new transition period shall be specified.

At the end of the transition period, the accelerated placement shall become permanent. The child's records shall be modified accordingly, and the acceleration plan shall become part of the student's permanent record to facilitate continuous progress through the curriculum.

R.C. 3313.64, 3313.641, 3313.672, 3313.673, 3321.01 et seq., 3321.05, 3323.01
R.C. 3324.10

Revised 1/8/07
Revised 11/19/07
Revised 10/27/08
Revised 10/25/10
Revised 12/17/12
Revised 5/16/16

© Neola 2016