What is the age requirement for kindergarten?

Students entering kindergarten for the 2007-2008 school year must be five years old on or before August 31.

Are there any exceptions?

A child who will turn five in the month of September, may be allowed to enter kindergarten if the parent or guardian attends an informational meeting and the child passes the early entrance screening.

What if my child's birthday falls after September 30th ? Can I apply for an exemption and have my child take the screening?

Sorry, no. Governing Board policy has set the cutoff date at September 30. Only children whose birthday falls in the month of September will be considered for possible early entrance into kindergarten.

What is the purpose of the informational meeting and who must attend?

At least one of the child's parents or legal guardians must attend the Early Entrance Informational Meeting. You will be provided an overview of school readiness, expectations of entering kindergarteners, the state standards for kindergarten, and information on the screening process. You will have an opportunity to ask questions and to schedule a screening date and time.

When and where is the informational meeting?

The Early Entrance Informational Meeting will be held in June

Contact the Educational Enrichment Department (773-1103) for information.

What is involved in the screening?

The screening will last 2 to 2½ hours. Parents will be asked to complete a parent questionnaire and registration materials while children are involved in a variety of short assessments and an observation of social skills and interaction with other children and adults.

Can I prepare my child for the screening?

No. The screeners will be looking for readiness skills that come naturally to children. You can't prepare for this type of screening as you might for a traditional test.

When and where is the screening?

Screening dates and times have not yet been scheduled.

What is the cost of the screening?

Parents will be charged $110 per child tested. This covers the cost of screening materials and screener time.

What if I cannot afford the cost of the screening?

Families who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch may request a subsidy to cover the cost of the screening. Applications for families not previously approved for free or reduced-price lunch within FUSD will be available at the Early Entrance Informational Meeting.

Who will evaluate the results of the screening and determine if my child can enter kindergarten early?

A team of professional educators will work together to administer the various components of the screening. Your child will interact with three to five adults during the process. These teams will then score the evaluation components using the scoring rubrics that accompany the testing materials we've purchased and make a group decision on each child screened.

Can I appeal the decision of the Screening Team if my child is not accepted for early entrance?

No. Every effort is being made to ensure that the screening process is fair and equitable for all participants. Decisions as to those who are ready for kindergarten entrance will be made by a team of professionals and we ask that parents honor the team's decision.

Is the screening fee refundable?

If you decide not to have your child complete the screening, please contact us no later than the day of the screening. Your fee will be refunded. However, the fee will not be refundable in the case of no-shows who do not contact us or for those children who do not pass the screening and are not accepted for early entrance.

Can I register my child now, before the screening takes place?

No. If you would like to ask the school to place your child's name on a waiting list, you may do so. However, you should not complete a registration packet. Registration materials will be available for you to complete in June while your child is being screened.

Is preschool required for my child to qualify for early entrance into kindergarten.

Preschool is not a requirement of early entrance. However, if your child did attend preschool, we will ask that your child's teacher complete a social/behavioral form similar to the one parents will be completing. This gives the screening team one more valuable piece of data to assist them in making decisions regarding readiness.

Can I wait and request screening for my child in July or later?

It is our intention to complete all early entrance screening in June. We will make every effort to accommodate any family that moves to Flagstaff later in the summer. However, no child will be considered for early entrance for requests made less than one week prior to the first official school day for the school the child will be attending.

How do I sign up for the informational meeting and for the June screening?

Simply call the Educational Enrichment Department at 527-6156. They will ask for your name, your child's name and date of birth, mailing address, and a phone number where you can be reached. This registers you for the Early Entrance Informational Meeting. You can schedule your child during that meeting.