Frequently Asked Questions

What is the age requirement for kindergarten?

• Students entering kindergarten for the upcoming 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 child passes an 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 cut-off date at September 30th. Only children whose birthday falls in the month of September will be considered for possible early entrance into kindergarten.

What is involved in the screening?

• The screening will last approximately two hours.  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?

• The screening will be held in June at the Family Resource Center located at 4000 N. Cummings St., Flagstaff, AZ 86004. Your child will be scheduled for a specific time.  No unscheduled drop-ins will be allowed.  Additional screening dates will be added if necessary.

Will I stay with my child during the screening?

• No, however, we will ask that you remain on the premises. The Family Resource Center, where the screening will be held, has space where you may peruse the materials we have available, work, read or access computers and the internet.

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?

• You may request a Fee Waiver via application that will be provided upon request. Proof of income must be submitted with the application and families will be notified of the waiver approval or disapproval prior to the screening date scheduled for their child.

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 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 regarding kindergarten entrance readiness 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, registration will take place after screening is complete and only if your child is accepted for early entrance.

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

• Preschool is not a requirement of early entrance. 

Can I wait and request screening for my child after the June date?

• It is our intention to complete all early entrance screening during June. We will make every effort to accommodate any family that cannot participate on the scheduled day(s) in June. However, no child will be considered for early entrance for requests made less than one full week prior to the first official school day for the school the child will be attending.

How do I sign up for the screening?

• Simply call the Educational Enrichment Department at (928) 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 to schedule a screening time.