What is early entrance to kindergarten?
Early entrance to kindergarten occurs when a school district evaluates a child who is not yet old enough to enter kindergarten, and admits the child to kindergarten early because the child demonstrates that he/she can succeed in kindergarten after a formal evaluation.
A student must be 5 years old by their home district’s cut-off date in order to enroll in kindergarten. When a student does not meet the district’s kindergarten cut-off date, an early entrance request may be submitted to consider the child for enrollment in kindergarten. In Ohio, school districts either choose August 1st or September 30th as their district’s kindergarten cut-off date.
Your child’s birth date determines the process for early entrance to kindergarten. If your child turns 5 after the district’s cut-off date but before January 1st, the parent may refer the child for early entrance to kindergarten evaluation. If your child turns 5 on January 1st or later, a referral must be written from a professional who knows the child. This professional may be a district educator, a preschool educator, a pediatrician, or psychologist.
Why is there early entrance to kindergarten?
Early entrance is designed for a child who is both academically ready and developmentally mature when compared to others his or her age. Even though a child may have a higher academic ability, they still may not be ready for kindergarten. Social maturity, personal development, and motor development are very important factors for a child’s success in school.
How do I know if my child is ready for kindergarten?
Early entrance is designed for the child who not only has the ability, but easily achieves when presented new material. Once the decision has been made for early entrance to kindergarten, the choice is difficult to reverse.
Does your child show positive social development? Does your child demonstrate self-help skills?
—Separates from you without anxiety
—Uses restroom independently
—Handles change and transition well
—Uses a tissue to blow their nose
—Follows directions
—Dresses self independently
—Communicates needs effectively
—Puts on and zips up coat independently
—Cares about the feelings of others
Does your child use classroom tools and toys effectively? Does your child use self-control?
—Holds and uses a pencil, crayon or marker
—Cooperates and plays well with others
—Cuts with scissors
—Shares and takes turns
—Builds with blocks or Legos
—Keeps hands to self
What are the academic expectations for kindergarten?
All of the skills listed below are expected to begin kindergarten in addition to the independent skills above.
—Writes first name
—Identifies upper case letters
—Identifies rhyming words
—Knows first and last name
—Identifies lower case letters
—Matches sounds to letters
—Identifies shapes
—Rote counting 1-20
—Identifies the front of a book
—Identifies colors
—Number recognition 1-10
—Identifies a letter in a book
—Knows where to start and stop when reading a book
—Awareness that a book is read left to right
—Identifies a word in a book
What is the Licking Regional ESC’s process for early entrance to kindergarten evaluation?
The process depends on the child’s birthdate.
If your child turns 5 after the district’s cut-off date but before January 1st:
A parent may submit a referral for early entrance evaluation to the home district’s building principal or the district’s gifted coordinator.
After the referral has been received, your child will be scheduled for an early entrance to kindergarten evaluation. The evaluation process is extensive and demanding on the child. It will take multiple hours to complete (similar to a normal school day). Please refer to the kindergarten readiness information on the front of this page to ensure that your child meets all the criteria for ability, achievement, aptitude, and behavior expectations before submitting the referral. Please note: very few children qualify for early entrance to kindergarten.
If your child turns 5 January 1st or later:
A referral must be written by a professional who knows the child. This person may be a district educator, a pre school educator, a pediatrician, or a psychologist.
In addition to the testing noted above, the child will receive further testing after the initial evaluation day in order to follow the more extensive acceleration process (as required by the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce for January 1st or later birthdates).
Where and when does early entrance to kindergarten evaluation occur?
Evaluations will take place at the Licking Regional Educational Service Center (LRESC) at 145 N. Quentin Road, Newark, Ohio 43055. After a referral is received and processed, you will be contacted to schedule testing. Both the child and parent will attend the evaluation day together. The parent is expected to remain in the building during the evaluation day with the exception of taking the child for a lunch/play break in the middle of the day.
Typical Evaluation Day Schedule
—9:30 Registration
—9:40-10:15 Ability Test
—10:15-10:30 Break
—10:30-11:30 Readiness Test
—11:30-12:00 Parent Conferences
—12:00-1:00 Lunch/Play Break with Parent
—1:00-1:30 Readiness Test
—1:30-2:30 Achievement Test
What is the next step to have my child evaluated for early entrance to kindergarten?
Complete and submit the attached early entrance to kindergarten referral to either your home district’s building principal or the district’s gifted coordinator. Referrals must be submitted by:
—Friday, May 23, 2025 to receive an evaluation and decision prior to summer break
—Wednesday, June 4, 2025 to receive an evaluation and decision prior to July
—Friday, August 1, 2025 to receive an evaluation and decision prior to the first day of school
Referrals received after Friday, August 1, 2025 may be evaluated for a second semester start. You will be contacted to schedule testing after the completed referral is received and reviewed. If you have further questions, please call (740) 349-6084.
Click HERE to view a full informational packet about early entrance to kindergarten in Licking County.