Early Registration in First Grade

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What are the rules? Who can be evaluated?

To be eligible for first grade, a child must be age 6 by or on September 1 of the school year. This is a State of Wisconsin requirement and is included with our Board of Education policies. It is permissible to allow early entrance, but the conditions and procedures established by the State and School Board must be followed. By law, school districts that allow early entrance, which the Madison Metropolitan School District does, must admit a child to enroll in first grade if the child was admitted to and successfully completed Kindergarten or a program for five-year-olds which the district deems equivalent to Kindergarten, or must conduct an evaluation and the child must demonstrate the social, emotional, physical and mental maturity expected for successful participation in first grade.

Early entry evaluation is for children who are not age 6 by or on September 1 but whose birthdays fall from September 2 through December 31 and whose parents request it. Children born after December 31 may not be screened for early entry (Wisconsin Statutes).

What is the process?

• Parents who would like to inquire about early entry to first grade for their child should visit the school psychologist at the childs school of residence.
• The school psychologist, after talking with parents, schedules an evaluation if the request is to proceed. A child referred for early admission evaluation should demonstrate superior intellectual growth, superior language skills, ability to express him/herself well, and be well developed physically.
• Parents receive a written questionnaire that requests information about their child. A questionnaire is also given to the preschool or kindergarten the child attended, if applicable. A child whose primary language is Hmong or Spanish or another language may be evaluated in his/her respective language.
• Following the evaluation, all tests are scored and data is recorded. The evaluator shares the results and recommendation with parents at this time and forwards all information to the Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Schools for final approval. If approved for early entrance, information is forwarded to the childs school of residence. If not approved, parents may request an appeal.

Requests that are received over the summer and during the last week in August before school begins:
Children receive an individual evaluation, with a contracted staff member, scheduled by the Assistant Superintendent, during the last week in August.

Approval for early entrance must be completed prior to the 3rd Friday in September; no early entrance recommendations will be considered after this time.

More Questions?

If you have more questions about early entrance, contact the psychologist at your school or call 663-1607.

Board of Education policy 4011 which cites relevant State Statutes.