• Early Entrance for Kindergarten and First Grade

    Thank you for your interest in the Kyrene School District. We offer an early entrance age exception for children if it is determined to be in their best interest.
     
    The early entrance process must be completed before registration for an eligible child can occur at a school site. The timeline for early entrance will not impact your ability to register your child if they have been accepted for early entrance; the timeline may impact which open enrollment choices are available.
     
    The process for Early Entrance is from January to July for the upcoming school year. Screenings start in April and conclude in July, one week before school starts.
    Please note the 2023-24 school year will begin on Wednesday July 19. The last day to submit an interest form for Early Entrance is July 6, 2023. 

    Kindergarten Early Entrance

    Children who will turn five between September 1 and December 31 may apply for an age exception to enter kindergarten early. Early entrance will be approved for children who demonstrate exceptional social and emotional maturity, and whose learning needs are advanced. These children should perform similarly in respect to behavior, social, emotional, and academic skills to their older classmates in order to meet the challenges of Kyrene’s kindergarten curriculum. We will admit children early whenever we feel confident that they can be successful during the kindergarten year and move on to first grade with the necessary skills, maturity, and confidence.

    The Arizona Department of Education has developed academic standards, which list the knowledge and skills that students should learn in grades K-12.Click on each subject and navigate to kindergarten to learn more.

    Families who wish to consider applying for an age exception for their child are required to complete the following steps in order. Each step is a requirement for the next step in the process.    
    1. View the recorded Early Entrance Family Presentation to determine if early entrance is the best option for your child. 
    2. Complete an Early Entrance to Kindergarten Interest Form. You will need to enter the "Meeting Code" from the family presentation in order to submit this form. The family recording and interest form will be available from February 6, 2023 until July 6, 2023. The interest form must be submitted by midnight on July 6, 2023. 
    3. After your interest form has been received, you will receive an email confirmation with a link to the Early Entrance Application Form. This application must be submitted in order to be invited to sign up for a screening time. Step 2 must be completed in order to receive the link to this form.
    4. After your Early Entrance Application Form has been submitted, you will be prompted to sign up for a screening time on Sign Up Genius. Step 3 must be completed in order to receive the link to sign up for a screening time.
    A district office staff member will contact you with a decision for early entrance within one week after the screening. The district office administrator has final approval. There is no appeal process.
     
    Families complete the registration process for their child AFTER the child is accepted for early entrance to kindergarten.
     

    First Grade Early Entrance

    For admission to first grade, we recommend that children be six years old before September 1 of the current school year. Children who are born between September 1 and December 31 may apply for an age exception for early entrance to first grade. This applies to any child that falls within this age range and who has attended Kindergarten in another district, private school, charter school, or in another state/county. NOTE: If the child previously enrolled and attended Kindergarten within Kyrene for the complete school year, a screening is not needed for first grade.
     
    The procedures for Early Entrance to First Grade are listed below.
    1. Submit an Early Entrance to First Grade Interest Form. 
    2. A district office staff member will reach out to you to schedule your child's screening.
    A district office staff member will contact you with a decision for early entrance within one week after the screening. The district office administrator has final approval. There is no appeal process.
     
    Families complete the registration process for their child AFTER the child is accepted for early entrance to first grade.

     

    We look forward to providing your children with an outstanding education.

    If you have any questions, please call the Department of Teaching and Learning at (480) 541-1251.

     

    Preschool Program Options

    If early entrance is not the right option for your child, please consider Kyrene’s Preschool options.