In our district (d54 Illinois), they will allow the kids to skip kinder and early entrance to 1st IF ( from district website)..
School District 54 follows Illinois School Code which specifies that to enter kindergarten, children must be five years of age by September 1 of their kindergarten year and six years of age by September 1 of their first-grade year.
Early Entrance to First Grade may be considered for a child who meets the following criteria:
The child will turn 6 years of age between September 2 and December 31 of his first-grade year.
The child attended a non-public preschool and will complete kindergarten at that same facility.
The child was taught by an appropriately certified kindergarten teacher.
The child is a resident of District 54.
If all of the requirements above are met, the parent may request an assessment to determine if the child is eligible for Early Entrance to First Grade. To request this assessment the following is required:
Parents must register their child at their base elementary school between February 28 and July 25, 2013. No early entrance registrations will be accepted after July 25, 2013.
An original birth certificate (with the seal issued by the clerk in the county where the child was born) must be presented at registration. Hospital certificates are not acceptable. Please see the District 54 registration website for more detailed information regarding other required registration documents.
http://sd54.org/registration The parent must submit the current kindergarten progress reports from the school.
The child will be assessed in reading and math using the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) assessment.
The child must score a minimum of 90% in both reading and math to qualify for Early Entrance to First Grade. The child’s current kindergarten progress report must indicate excellent academic and social/emotional skills. If the child does not meet the minimum MAP criteria of 90% in both reading and math, the child is not eligible to enter first grade.
Decisions regarding eligibility for Early Entrance to First Grade will be made by a team consisting of a school psychologist, the school principal and a district administrator. This decision is final.
If a child is accepted for early entrance before finishing kindergarten, parents must submit proof by June 13, 2013 that the child completed kindergarten.
The decision for a child to enter school early can have a profound effect on the child’s academic and social performance for the remainder of his school career. It is a decision that needs to be taken seriously. Early school experiences shape self-confidence and influence children for the rest of their lives. Children who enter first grade early may demonstrate social or emotional difficulties due to their relative immaturity, have difficulty fitting in with their peers in social situations as they progress through school, and be less likely to excel in sports because of their age and/or smaller size. We ask parents to carefully consider whether enrolling a child early in first grade will be of long-term benefit for their child.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is District 54’s early entrance policy for first grade?
A. District 54’s Policy JEB states “students who have attended a non-public preschool and continued their education at that school through kindergarten, were taught in kindergarten by an appropriately certified teacher, and who will attain the age of six (6) years on or before December 31st may attend first (1st) grade upon commencement of the school term based upon assessment of the student’s readiness by district criteria.” This is in accordance with Illinois School Code 105 ILCS 5/10-20.12.
