Early Entrance

Early Entrance for Kindergarten and First Grade

Early Entrance Screenings are complete for the 24/25 school year. Please see below for our yearly process for kindergarten and first grade early entrance screenings. We will open up screenings for the 25/26 school year in January 2025.

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.

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.

Step One: All parents/guardians are required to view the Early Entrance to Kindergarten Presentation.

Step Two: All parents/guardians are required to complete the Kyrene Early Entrance to Kindergarten Application (closed for 24/25 school year). To begin this application, you will need to have the meeting code from the early entrance presentation.

Step Three: Upon completion of the Early Entrance Application, you will receive a confirmation message with a link to sign-up for an Early Entrance Screening. The dates for Early Entrance Screenings for the 2024-2025 school year are Saturday, April 27, 2024, Monday, July 15, 2024, and Tuesday, July 16, 2024.

Step Four: Each child is required to participate in a screening with a kindergarten teacher or a district office staff member at a scheduled time. Parents/Guardians will receive a decision regarding acceptance into kindergarten within one week. The district office has final approval and there is no appeal process for this decision.

Step Five: 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.

Submit an Early Entrance to First Grade Interest Form (closed for 24/25 school year).
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 Academic Equity and Excellence Department at (480) 541-1251.

Preschool Program Options

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

Attendance: