Admissions and Early Entrance to Four- and Five-Year-Old Kindergarten

Frequently Asked Questions

While s. 121.02(1) (d), Wis. Stats. requires all Wisconsin school districts to offer five-year-old kindergarten (5K), school districts have the option of offering four-year-old kindergarten (4K). If they offer 4K, they must make it available to all age-eligible 4-year-olds. The following questions and answers are designed to provide information to parents and school districts about kindergarten admission policies and practices for both 4K and 5K.

1. Q: At what age can a child enter kindergarten?
2. Q: If a child turns 4 or 5 after September 1 of the school year; can he or she still enter 4- or 5-year-old kindergarten?
3. Q: What documentation and health records are required for kindergarten entrance?
4. Q: Does a child have to be tested in order to enter kindergarten?
5. Q: Can a district deny entrance to an age eligible child because there is a concern about the child's "readiness"?
6. Q: If a child is age eligible for kindergarten, can a parent "hold their child out" for one year?
   
   • There are several reasons why a child should attend kindergarten with children in their own age range:
   • Advice for Parents Considering Delaying their Child's Entrance:

     Note: The practice of delaying entrance to kindergarten is controversial. You can find more information on the research and practices related to delaying entrance to kindergarten, at "Voices from the Field" Wisconsin Early Childhood Education and Care Stakeholders Consider Delayed Entrance to Kindergarten.

7. Q: When a district has both 4- and 5-year-old kindergarten, and a child is age-eligible for 5-year-old kindergarten, can the parent place the child in 4-year-old kindergarten?
8. Q: Can a child who has completed a 4- or 5- year old kindergarten be "held back" or "retained" at that grade for another year prior to moving into the next grade level.
9. Q: Do any national principles exist for kindergarten entry and placement practices?

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

While s. 121.02(1) (d), Wis. Stats. requires all Wisconsin school districts to offer five-year-old kindergarten (5K), school districts have the option of offering four-year-old kindergarten (4K). If they offer 4K, they must make it available to all age-eligible 4-year-olds. The following questions and answers are designed to provide information to parents and school districts about kindergarten admission policies and practices for both 4K and 5K.

1. At what age can a child enter kindergarten?
   State law, s (118.14(1) (a), Wis. Stats., specifies that children are eligible for kindergarten based on their age. To be eligible for 4-year-old kindergarten, a child must be 4 by September 1 of the school year. To be eligible for 5-year-old kindergarten, a child must be 5 by September 1 of the school year.

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2. If a child turns 4 or 5 after September 1 of the school year; can he or she still enter 4- or 5-year-old kindergarten?

   That depends on local district policy and practice because s. (120.12(25), Wis. Stats., allows school districts to develop policies and procedures to allow early admission to kindergarten and first grade. As long as children are admitted through a district's early admission policy, they can be counted for equalization aid.

   The following procedures are suggested best practices for districts to observe:

   1. A personal meeting with the parents to determine their reasons for requesting entrance prior to the legal age.
   2. An assessment of the child's potential to benefit from early admission and to successfully participate in the grade level, including consideration of emotional stability, social and mental maturity, and physical health.
   3. A process for appeals to the school board.
   4. Consistency of practice and policy for early admission to 4K and 5K.
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3. What documentation and health records are required for kindergarten entrance?

   Parents need to provide verification of the child's age. This can be through a birth certificate, passport, or other document that the school district has indicated as acceptable.

   Requirements for health records are guided by statutory language.

   • S. (120.12(16)(a)(b), Wis. Stats., requires schools to develop and implement a plan to encourage compliance with state immunizations laws and requires parents to present written evidence that their child has received specific vaccinations. Parents may claim waivers based on personal conviction or religious belief, or a physician may sign a health waiver if the immunization is harmful to the health of the student
   • Neither physical nor dental examinations are required by state statute or code; however, school districts may require or provide physicals.
   • S. (118.135), Wis. Stats., requires that schools encourage parents to obtain an eye exam for their child from a licensed practitioner prior to kindergarten entrance.
   Typically, the school will provide health and vision report forms that can be completed by the child's physician to indicate that a child is up-to-date with immunizations and vision and hearing screenings. The form may also be used to indicate any special health care needs of the child.

   Parents and legal guardians may look up their child's immunization record in the Wisconsin Immunization Registry (WIR) by logging on to registry at http://dhfsWIR.org.

   Districts with both 4K and 5K should assure that these policies are consistent and not duplicative.

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4. Does a child have to be tested in order to enter kindergarten?

   No, entrance to kindergarten is based on age and not on a child's ability.

   Some school districts screen incoming student to assess the skills of the children so they are better able to determine needed support services as well as develop an educational program that meets the needs of the children.

   Some districts use child development days in collaboration with other child-service agencies. This voluntary service helps profession staff to better serve families and children by

   1. Identifying young children who are in need of further assessment.
   2. Educating families about normal child growth and development
   3. Developing community awareness of resources available.
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5. Can a district deny entrance to an age eligible child because there is a concern about the child's "readiness"?

   No. State statues clearly define that age is the only criteria required for entrance into kindergarten and first grade. The district is responsible for providing a welcoming environment for all age-eligible children and their families through curriculum adaptation, teacher placement options, consultation with school specialists, and referrals for further evaluations.

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6. If a child is age eligible for kindergarten, can a parent "hold their child out" for one year?

   Compulsory school age in Wisconsin is 6 years (s 118.15, Wis. Stats.), so legally, parents may wait until their child is 6 before sending him or her to school. However, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction strongly encourages parents to send their children to kindergarten when they are age-eligible. If parents have concerns about their child being among the youngest in the class or not socially mature enough for kindergarten, the parent should talk with the staff to learn more about the program and how they can work together for a quality experience for their child.

   There are several reasons why a child should attend kindergarten with children in their own age range:

   • All school districts are responsible for meeting the needs of all kindergarten students, regardless of their age or state of development. Kindergarten curriculum is designed to meet the wide variation in development levels of all children.
   • Children arrive in kindergarten with a wide variety of abilities, and that is perfectly normal. There will always be a child who is the youngest - or the oldest.
   • If a child is an English Language Learner, he or she receives support in kindergarten programs to learn English at an early age.
   • Staff are trained to identify problems that may affect a child's ability to learn and provide appropriate services. The earlier the problem is identified, the sooner the child can receive special services that may help overcome the problem and improve his or her ability to achieve throughout the school years.
   • Research indicates that keeping an age-eligible child out of kindergarten does not always result in any long-term benefits.
   • Kindergarten is an important part of a school's educational program and is part of the overall developmental curriculum.
   • Kindergarten instruction promotes learning of many skills that are the foundation of the curriculum through Grade 12. For example, early reading instruction is especially important to all learners.

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   Advice for Parents Considering Delaying their Child's Entrance: A variety of suggestions for advising parents can be found including:

   • Be clear about the characteristics that cause concern about readiness for kindergarten. Don't delay entrance just because the child is likely to be the youngest in class.
   • Find out what the school expects and check the school's kindergarten screening procedures to help prepare your child before school entry.
   • Find out about the nature of the kindergarten program. Lower class size and "learning center" organization can accommodate greater developmental ranges among children in the class.
   • Consider what the child would be doing if not in kindergarten. Are other quality, affordable preschool opportunities available?
   Note: The practice of delaying entrance to kindergarten is controversial. You can find more information on the research and practices related to delaying entrance to kindergarten, at "Voices from the Field" Wisconsin Early Childhood Education and Care Stakeholders Consider Delayed Entrance to Kindergarten.

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7. When a district has both 4- and 5-year-old kindergarten, and a child is age-eligible for 5-year-old kindergarten, can the parent place the child in 4-year-old kindergarten?

   State statutes do not clearly define this situation. The statutes define eligibility for 4K and 5K in terms of age. However, the statutes also define a district's ability to determine grade level placement. Districts offering 4-year-old kindergarten should establish a policy to address this situation.

   If the district allows delayed entrance based on parent request, the district should assure that the parent consider the issues about delaying entrance discussed in question 6.

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8. Can a child who has completed a 4- or 5-year-old kindergarten be "held back" or "retained" at that grade for another year prior to moving into the next grade level?

   School districts have the ability to "retain" a pupil who has not made progress in a prescribed program, based on established school board policy. Because all school districts are required to offer 5K, districts are required to report 5K retention data on the School Performance Report. Since 4K is an optional program, the district is not required to report 4K retention data.

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9. Do any national practices or principles exist for kindergarten entry and placement?

   Two national associations, the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the National Association of Early Childhood Specialists/State Departments of Education, have been alarmed at continuing attitudes and practices which erode children's legal rights to enter public school and participate in a beneficial educational program.

   These associations believe that a number of highly questionable practices have resulted from the trend to demand more from kindergarten children; including: inappropriate use of screening and readiness testing, denial or discouragement of entrance for eligible children, the development of segregated transitional classes for children deemed unready for the next traditional level of school, and an increasing use of retention.

   These associations have developed principles for kindergarten entry and placement including:

   • enrollment in kindergarten is based on the legal right to enter;
   • retention is rejected as a viable option for young children;
   • tests used at kindergarten entrance are not used to create barriers to school entry or to sort children into homogeneous groups; and
   • children are welcomed, as they are, into kindergarten settings.
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For questions about this information, contact Jill A. Haglund (608) 267-9625

Last updated on 2/25/2008 9:07:46 AM