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Enrolling in Kindergarten: What You Need To Know

As you prepare for the first day of kindergarten, you'll want to be informed well in advance about requirements for kindergarten entrance and registration.

By GreatSchools Staff

Most school districts are required by law to offer a kindergarten program for interested parents.

Districts vary on when they begin taking sign-ups for kindergarten. Most begin pre-registration in early spring for the following fall. The number of hours your child will spend in school each day varies from district to district, although the state requires that students complete a minimum number of hours per year.

Here are some general guidelines on what is required for kindergarten enrollment. Be sure to check with your local school district for their specific requirements, too.

In most states, to be eligible for kindergarten, your child must be at least 5 years of age.

Although most states are fairly strict in enforcing the deadline date (if your child is not 5 by the designated deadline, he must wait until the following year to start kindergarten), some school districts may allow parents to enroll their children if they turn 5 in the middle of the school year. Most districts choose not to make an exception for these students because of space constraints and possible complications around promotion to first grade. If you feel strongly that your child should start kindergarten and his birthday does not meet the state deadline, it's worth contacting the school district office to see if they will make an exception.

If your child meets these characteristics, she will likely be granted early admission:

The child's mental age should be between 14-16 months greater than his or her chronological age as determined by standardized tests.
The child's total IQ should be at least 130.
The child should possess social and emotional characteristics that will allow him to behave in the way expected of kindergarten students.
The school's psychologist recommends admission.

You have to fill out registration and emergency medical referral forms.

Check with your local district for their requirements.

You may be asked to provide the following:

Proof of your child's age and identity: either a birth certificate or another reliable document stating the child's identity and age (such as a passport, school ID card, school record, report card, military ID, hospital birth record, adoption record or baptismal certificate) If you need another copy of your child's birth certificate, see Vital Records Information.
Proof of residence, such as driver's license, voter/motor registration card, utility bill, rent statement, income tax return statement, proof of home ownership (including a mortgage statement) or any official document showing both your name and address.
Records of vaccination and immunization against specified diseases. Check with your school district to find out which immunizations are required.

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Comments from GreatSchools.org readers

12/18/2009:

"does a child have to be potty trained to start kindergarten and my son is delay like 2 years behind what will the school do about that"

11/6/2009:

"We just moved in to a new area here in philly at about 1 year and 5 months. My daughter came from anne frank school in 19115 from K-1st grade. My daughter was disappointed the school that she was currently attending right now. A lot of bully's and the school standard is low. She was convincing me to transfer her to a charter school that is closest to our address. I am worried because she is good since she was attending to schools and now she was always complaining that she is bored to her school, they keep in doing it over and over those subjects/homeworks. My daughter loves to explore and learn something new. She is a bright kid and have a lots of ideas. Please advice me how to transfer my kid here at charter school 19116 I don't have any idea or knowledge how to enroll her at the school. "

10/13/2009:

"What if your child does not live in the schools district you are wanting them to attened? What procedures should you take in getting them into the school?"

09/2/2009:

"So all I see here in these postings is that everyone is so bright and gifted they need to start early. No one is thinking down the road when their kid is going to be the one hanging out with the 16-17 year olds when they are only 14-15. I know your kids are smart now, but I also know the ramifications of peer pressure, I say let your kid be a kid for as long as possible, find a great learning environment and enroll in kindergarten on a regular schedule."

07/7/2009:

"Go to this website to view the cut-off dates by which your child must turn 5 in order to enter kindergarten. http://users.stargate.net/~cokids/kindergarten_cut-off_dates.htm"

06/15/2009:

"I just wanted to thank you for this page. I was almost done filling out the paper work to enroll my 4 yr. old into kindergarten when I saw the calendar for the upcoming year. I noticed that the start date of school was Aug 24th and my daughters birthday is Aug 28th------ I paniced. Was she going to be able to enter school at 4 years old??????? So thank you for clarifying! "

06/9/2009:

"I have a question regarding my daughter's situation. She is going to 9y.o. this fall and she took two years in foreign school outside of the U.S. Now, we going to bring her back to the country. My question: is there any requirements to have a transcript from that foreign school for my daughter before enrolling."

03/23/2009:

"I have a question if a parent is suppose to enroll there kids at 5yrs of age or if they don't and wait till they are 6 yrs old is there a law stating that they have to enroll them at 5 or can they actully wait to have them go when they are 6 years old? My step daughter was suppose to enroll her kid at age 5 and wants to wait till hes 6 which then that makes his brother 5 and she wants him to go at the same time. so he will have an older brother in kindergarden with him? Why is this okay with the schools? shouldn't there be a law in place where if your kid is 5 they should start school at that age?"

09/19/2008:

"I was wondering if your child needs to have been in preschool before they go to kindergarten? I came from Missouri and there they almost had to be in preschool before they went to kindergarten. What are the California standards?"

08/25/2008:

"Dunwoody Christian Academy in Georgia has a Dec 31st birthday cutoff. I have a 21/2 yr old daughter and I'm trying to find a school for her for Kindergarten. I have a 16 yr old son who was born in December, a week after my daughter's birthday, and has always been among the smartest and most mature in his class even though he began kindergarten at 4. Now he's applying to Princeton, Ga Tech, Cornell and Auburn, so I don't buy the late birthday garbage. I think all children are different and should be evaluated accordingly."

07/25/2008:

"My daughter seems to be advanced for her age and tall I might add. Most people think she's 4. She's 2 and 1/2 and her birthday is in October. I am trying to find out what my options are, if any, as far as her not waiting a year to start kindergarten due to her late birthday. She already knows her ABC'S, can count to 25, says the sounds of 10 letters, and recognizes the basic shapes. Again, she is only 2 and 1/2 years hold, so I figure by 5 she will be more than ready for kindergarten. She's a little mature for her age, which I believe is due to having 2 older brothers at home. However she will have to wait a whole year due to her birthday and will be 6 years old in kindergarten. I started kindergarten when I was four years old in England, just because my parents forgot to bring my birth certificate and no one bothered to enforce it. Any suggestions for private, charter, or public schools in Georgia where I may be able to get around this."

07/3/2008:

"I HAVE A GRANDCHILD THAT BIRTHDAY IS IN OCTOBER, AND HE IS VERY SMART. HE LEARNED HIS ALPHABETS AND NUMBERS 1-10 AND COULD IDENTIFY THEM AT THE AGE OF TWO. HE KNOWS HIS COLORS, SHAPES, HIS BIRTHDAY, HIS NAME, HIS SISTERS, HIS PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS NAME. HE KNOWS HIS ANIMALS THE SOUND THEY MAKE AND ETC. I THINK THAT HOLDING HIM BACK BECAUSE HIS BIRTHDAY IS LATE IS UNFAIR. I THINK IF THEY ARE SMART ENOUGH AND WILL TURN FIVE BEFORE THE YEAR IS OVER THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO ENROLL. TENNESSEE SHOULD CHANGE THEIR LAWS IMMEDIATELY."

06/2/2008:

"is it mandatory that a child need to be potty trained when entering kindergarten? how about those kids who have developmental delayed or have speech problem. how would they deal with that if they're not potty trained?"

04/29/2008:

"My son will be entering a very large kindergarten class in VT this fall. There will be 27 children with only 1 teacher and 1 aide. I am very concerned about the lack of supervision and the chaos that will ensue. Does anyone have any feedback on class sizes around the country."

10/22/2007:

"I am feeling abit overwhelemed looking for a school. I use to make fun of parents setting up their kids with preschools and kindergartens while still in the womb! Now I know!!! My son is 4 and is in a 4-year-old kindergarten and I am stressing over what school to send him to next year. The elementary school has three divisions. School of Technology, School of Inguiry, and School of Fine Arts. Then there is the year-round school and Charter school. My son needs to be challenged and stay busy, so that he does not get in trouble. Please help me make a decision."

09/4/2007:

"I have heard that the State of Michigan is talking about pushing up the start date for entering Kindergartners that they need to be 5 by Sept 1st. Is this true? Has it passed and will it be a gradual move up????"

09/4/2007:

"My daugther is going to Kindergarten and I was informed at a private school that she is not allowed by law to be enrolled as she is Mexican national. Is it true? She is under H4 visa as I'm under H1-B visa, meaning we have a legal status to stay in the US. "

08/6/2007:

"I heard that most of Kindergarten school in Kentucky require 1 year of preschool credits. Is this true? Thanks."

07/5/2007:

"Thank you very much for this entire website. We are moving to the USA from Australia inthe next few months. This site has given us many tips and pointers on how to go about finding a school and the requirements for kindergarten. "

11/6/2006:

"This is our first time searching for a school for our first born. What a task! This website has been a lifesaver. Thank you so much for all the valuable information. Especially the article about choosing a school vs charter schools, etc. Very, very useful."

08/17/2006:

"This was great. It cleared some doubts and have good links for further questions. Thanks for your time."

07/18/2006:

"I am from Michigan, and entered kindergarten at the age of 4 (b-day 10/1). I excelled all the way through school, and you would never believe I was younger than any of the other kids. I live in GA, and both of my children have late birthdays, and I hate that they will have to wait until they're 5- almost 6 to enter school. My 3 1/2 is already very bright and is getting bored sitting around the house with me."

05/2/2006:

"We are starting Kinder in the fall for my son. He is five now (November birthday). When I registered him I had to sign a waiver because he is starting a year late based on his birthday. (Cutoff in CA is 12/02). I have yet to meet a professional educator here that doesn't recommend giving them an extra year. One Kinder teacher even held her own son with an April birthday back a year. (seemed a bit excessive myself) My deciding factor was that if I had entered him at 4 turning 5 was he would enter his senior year of high school at 16. High school is tough enough without being so young on top of everything else."

04/24/2006:

"This article was very helpful. I didn't receive my packet in time, so I didn't know what I should bring to my appointment. If not for this article, I would not be prepared."

03/21/2006:

"I'm reading so much on 'NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND' why is kindergarten not mandatory and why are so many schools loosing funding that they have to resort to the kindergarten program going from all day everyday to everyother day. I believe at this young age they will not retain what they have learned if they have a day off in between school days. I have had the opportunity for one of my children to be in half day and the other in all day everyday. The half day is so caotic, the children don't have time to finish anything and what about the children that need that little extra help. Yes, children should know some things but, after all, the teachers are there to teach our children. The teachers cannot do the job they need to do if the Government does not step in and make sure the schools are properly funded. Maybe the kindergarten entrance age needs to be raised to 5.5 or 6 so they can retain some to most of what they learn. Ohio is at the bottom of the educational support, ! I just hope that in 2 years kindergarten issues are resolved because I have one more child, my half day child is one of many children in his class that had 1st grade twice (was my decision) and is now on an IEP in 5th grade, the all day child is excelling. What will become of my 3rd child? Will the government change the standards on the IEP's? Are the IEP's allowing too much intervention so the child is really not learning a thing. ALL DAY EVERYDAY!!!! Stay at home mom's need to be commended but, get over it and let the children learn sooner and quicker in this fast pased world. I am a stay home mom and am a firm believer of All Day. We all need to get on the Governments back and feed the words back to them NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND! "

12/5/2005:

"Reading the article and the posts confirmed my decision to give my precocious 4 year year old an extra year of childhood fun. At age 3 1/2 he was in a day care center's pre-K program and completed a full phonics curriculum and did well among older peers. This year he's in a more traditional MWF morning preschool that focuses on thematic lessons, socializing, playing & discovering. He takes weekly gymnastic lessons that build on many of the same social & physcial skills he learned last summer in swim lessons - taking turns, following cirections, physical coordination. I'm glad he gets to enjoy this year of being 4, and am confident we'll find a kindergarten program that will help him continue to thrive. I no longer worry about him being bored in school because I've taught him how to be self-content & to make his own fun."

09/28/2005:

"To assure your child the ultimate chance of success in school, just be certain he/she is among the oldest in his/her classroom. It is my belief that the development of a positive self-concept is key to school success; the young, intellectually gifted are often intimidated by the older, more mature and physically capable classmates to the extent they feel inferior and as a result may ultimately not realize their full potential. This has been my observation as a teacher for 34 years (now retired), as a parent and now as a grandparent. My husband and I followed that principle and made certain that our three children were among the oldest in their classes and they in turn have followed in the guidance of their children (our grandchildren). I am happy to report that all have been successful both in and outside the classroom. Nine out of nine. . .you can't beat those odds!"

09/14/2005:

"After recently relocating to South Carolina I learned of the policy regarding kindergarten. My daughter is 18 days too young by Richland District 2's standards. I requested an exception to policy and paid to have my daughter tested for entrance into the kindergarten. The testing standards the district requires are above average scores(too high). So before you think about paying for the private testing. Don't, unless your child is a genius! Then why start with kindergarten they could go on to first grade! This policy needs revising."

08/26/2005:

"I HAVE A GRANDSON WHO HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH PDD(PERVASIVE DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDER WITH SENSORY ISSUES. I HAVE HIM AN IEP DONE IN SCHOOL TALKED WITH TEACHERS THEIR MAIN CONCERN WAS WHY ISNT HE POTTY TRAINED? AND THAT IT WAS MY FAULT FOR HIM BEING THAT WAY. MY QUESTION IS WHY WITH THE NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND ACT DO TEACHERS DISCRIMINATE AGAINST MILD TO MODERATE AUTISM BY REFUSING TO GET SOMEONE IN THE CLASSROOM WHO CAN HELP WITH HIS POTTY NEEDS WHILE IN SCHOOL. IF I GO HE WILL WANT TO GO BACK HOME WITH ME AND I THINK HE SHOULD STAY IN SCHOOL"

08/12/2005:

"Thank you for the information we need to know about registering our children for Kindergarten. With regard to knowing what age is right. This is as unique as your son or daughter. Each child grows, develops and learns at a different rate. Don't let the age factor hinder your response in deciding if he/she is ready. Do a little assessing on your own. The BRIGANCE K & 1 Screen is an excellent way to find out what your child knows. Or use the same skills that this assesses and see on your own. Some things this assessment covers: Verbally gives their name, age, address, birth date; Identifies and names colors; Recognizes and names pictures (dog, cat, boy, girl, etc.); Visually discriminates symbols & shapes (square, circle, +, etc.); Copies different shapes & symbols; Gross-Motor skills; Counts to 10...20..etc.; Identifies & points to body parts; Listens to, remembers and follows verbal simple verbal directions; Matches quantities to numbers (2, 6, 3, etc.); and can print his/her name. There are also other things to observe: speech (is it easily understood?), hearing, ! vision, how does he/she hold a pencil, is he/she right or left handed? Best Wishes to All! -South Dakota"