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.

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. A child under age six (6) who is enrolled in kindergarten will be considered of compulsory school age.

Beginning with the 2012-2013 school year, the District will provide free half-time kindergarten as prescribed by law. The Superintendent or his/her designee will develop administrative guidelines for the provision of this program.

The District may provide a tuition based all-day, every-day kindergarten program as permissible by law. The Superintendent or his/her designee will develop administrative guidelines for the provision of this program.

Chronological age shall be the determining factor for admission of resident children into kindergarten.

The Board may admit to kindergarten such children as may be ineligible by reason of age but demonstrate the ability and need to undertake a program of education who attain the age of five (5) on or before December 31st of the year in which s/he applies for entrance.

The Board may admit to kindergarten any child who has not attained the entrance age requirement of this District, but who was properly enrolled in an approved public or private school kindergarten before transferring to this District.

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 for advancement to the first grade. This requirement may only be waived if a request is made and approved by the District's Pupil Services Committee.

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

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.

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 parents.

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

The Board shall provide parents with a list of those individuals and/or organizations that provide screening services in the community.

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 a staff member or a parent/guardian to the principal of the school for evaluation for possible early admission. Students may refer themselves or a peer through a staff member who has knowledge of the referred child's abilities. Children referred for early entrance will be evaluated in the spring prior to the school year of requested early entrance admission.

Pursuant to R.C. 3321.01, all children who will be the proper age for entrance to kindergarten or first grade by the first day of January of the school year for which admission is requested shall be evaluated upon request of the child's parent or legal guardian. Children who will not be the proper age for entrance to kindergarten or first grade by the first day of January of the school year for which admission is requested shall also be evaluated for early admittance if referred by an educator within the District, a pre-school educator who knows the child, or a pediatrician or psychologist who knows the child.

Before a student is evaluated for early entrance, a school psychologist shall obtain written permission from the child's parent/guardian.

Upon completion of the evaluation and the decision by the school psychologist, a meeting is to be conducted with the parents to inform them of the decision and, if appropriate, to discuss the results of the evaluation and the nature of the kindergarten or fist grade program.

Parents may make a written appeal of the decision of the school psychologist to the Director of Pupil Services. The Director shall convene a committee to determine whether early entrance is appropriate for that child. The Pupil Services committee shall include the following:

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

Children considered for early entrance shall be evaluated based on the following criteria:

During the Pupil Services committee meeting the parent/guardian will be informed of the committee's decision based on the results of the evaluation, and if appropriate based on the results of the evaluation and, if appropriate the nature of the kindergarten or first grade program.

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

A school staff member (e.g., Gifted Intervention Specialist) 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.

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
A.C. 3301-35-03 (F)

Revised 9/18/00
Revised 8/14/06
Revised 11/05/07
Revised 12/10/07
Revised 12/21/09
Revised 2/13/12