Early Access to Kindergarten or First grade
Recent legislation has allowed school districts to offer “highly advanced gifted children” the option of early entrance to kindergarten or first grade. A child must be four on or before the first day of school to be an eligible candidate for Early Access to kindergarten, or five years of age to be eligible for Early Access to first grade.
Highly advanced gifted children may show exceptional academic achievement, reasoning ability, performance and motivation compared to other children. They are highly precocious and ready for school. This option is not recommended for the majority of children. Detailed screening and criteria are used to determine school readiness.
Questions and Answers
Why are students now allowed to enter school early?
Some gifted students have exhausted the resources of preschool and/or homeschooling preschool before age five. These students’ needs would best be met by putting them into school earlier. This legislation was designed with those children in mind.
Who can enter school early?
Children who:
- have highly advanced skills in literacy and numeracy
- have appropriate social readiness
- have exhausted the resources of preschool
Parent Informational Fact Sheet
How do I know if my child would be a good candidate?
We have several levels of screening to determine if a child would be a good candidate for early enrollment.
- First, speak with your child’s preschool teacher or other adults to find out if they feel your child would fit the criteria.
- Second, contact Glenna Alexander in the Gifted Education Department at 303-772-7700 or by email to complete a brief interview and pick up a Screening Portfolio packet. This packet explains the procedure, as well as the information you will need to collect.
Helpful Articles:
The Gifted Preschooler
The Highly Advanced Gifted Child
How can I apply for my child to be considered for Early Access to kindergarten or first grade?
After contacting Glenna Alexander, Gifted Education Specialist at 303-772-7700, for a brief interview, Screening Portfolio packets may be picked up in the Gifted Education Department, 700 Ken Pratt Parkway, Suite 113, Longmont, CO 80501. The Screening Portfolio is due back to the department by March 26, 2010. School district offices are closed from March 29 – April 2, 2010 for spring break.
Timeline
Early Access Fees
For more information, contact Glenna Alexander, Gifted Education Specialist at 303-772-7700 or by email
