The Dublin City School District considers a child eligible for entrance into “regular” kindergarten if he/she attains the age of five on or before September 30th of the year he/she applies for entrance. Compulsory school age is six. However, students can begin kindergarten before the age of 5 IF they meet the display readiness as measured by Early Entrance to Kindergarten standards.

Early entrance should be viewed as a means of meeting a child’s needs. Early entrance to kindergarten is considered a whole grade acceleration and is intended for high-ability, academically talented students. A child’s birth date does not indicate readiness for early entrance. The key to determining whether or not early entrance is appropriate for a child is developmental readiness, both academically and socially. Even though a child may have strong ability, he/she may not be ready for a whole grade level acceleration. Social maturity, personal development, and motor development are important factors for a child’s success in school, particularly kindergarten and first grade.

Early entrance is designed for the exceptional child who is both academically talented as well as developmentally mature when compared to others his or her chronological age. Some considerations when determining if early entrance is right for a child:

 Is my child capable of working in a classroom setting with children who are one to two years older?

• Will my child be frustrated by this placement?
• What are the possible long-term impacts for my child as he/she progresses through elementary, middle and high school?
• Early entrance is not designed as a replacement for child care. Is this a need or a want?
• Do I understand the expectations for students with regard to early learning within Ohio? (See Ohio Department of Education)
• http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Early-Learning
• What’s Lost When We Rush Kids Through Childhood
• https://www.edutopia.org/article/whats-lost-when-we-rush-kids-through-childhood
• There is a difference between ability and achievement. Some children may appear exceptional simply because of their access to opportunities (e.g., preschool programs, parents working with them on skills, or access to learning materials).

Early entrance is designed for the child who not only has high ability but easily achieves when presented new material.

Once the decision has been made for early entrance, the choice is difficult to reverse. If a child is evaluated as a good candidate for early entrance to kindergarten, it is important that all stakeholders are supportive of the decision.

My child seems advanced beyond other children his/her age in these ways:

• Reads and understands text in picture books or chapter books.
• Is writing full name, phrases, and sentences.
• Is able to identify, write, and represent numeric values 0 – 20.
• Problem solves math-related situations better than other children his/her age.
• Is able to correctly solve math computation problems.
• Understands the meaning and use of words better than other children his/her age.
• Is curious about many things and asks questions often.
• Is very good at working puzzles or solving problems.
• Has a great sense of humor and understands jokes more than other children his/her age.
• Has a good memory and remembers details of conversations or stories.
• Is interested in difficult concepts such as time and space.
• Concentrates on certain activities much longer than other children his/her age.

Very few children qualify for early entrance to Kindergarten. Please make sure you proceed with childcare arrangements as a contingency.  If you are selecting a Preschool program, please understand that those programs routinely fill up quickly; we recommend you register your child for your selected daycare or preschool program.  If you are applying to early entrance to Kindergarten, you do not register or enroll your child as a Kindergarten student within Dublin City Schools.  If your child meets the criteria for early entrance to Kindergarten, the Gifted Services office will assist you with enrollment. 

• June 30-July 24: Early Entrance to kindergarten  – Google Form available
• July 24, 2023: Deadline to submit Google form (noon)
• August 3, 2023: Evaluations for early entrance
• Within 7 days of screening: Notification of outcome of the evaluation screening process

Requesting Early Admission to Kindergarten is the first step. A parent may request early admission to kindergarten if the child turns five years of age between October 1 and December 31, 2023. Dublin City Schools shall determine entrance through standardized testing.

A formal recommendation is necessary for early entrance to kindergarten if a student turns five after December 31, 2023. The recommendation should be written by a professional educator or doctor who has worked with the child extensively.

For the 2023-24 academic year, the evaluations will be coordinated through Gifted Services. After you submit the Google form, a confirmation email will be sent to you. You will be asked via email to provide the following:

1.  A copy of your child's birth certificate or passport including the date of birth;

2.  Proof of residency by providing a copy of your most recent gas or electric bill;

3.  Documentation from your child's current or prior preschool educational program.

• Screening of viable candidates will take place August 3, 2023, with results shared with parents via email or phone within seven days. Exact date, time and location of screening will be shared via email
• Initial screening for early entrance will take approximately 60 minutes
• If a student is recommended for second-round full-scale evaluation, that process will take approximately 2 ½ - 3 hours
• For planning purposes parents are asked to be available the week of August 1, 2023
• Because early entrance is considered a whole grade acceleration, high ability and academic achievement are vital for success when a child enters Kindergarten.
• Students are screened with the Woodcock Johnson IV tests of cognitive abilities and achievement (brief and full-scale assessments). In some cases, an alternative test is selected from the list below.