Early Entrance 

Overview

Skokie School District 68 complies with Illinois law which specifies that, to enter kindergarten or first grade, children must be five years of age by September 1st of their kindergarten year, or six years of age, by September 1st of their first grade year (105 ILCS 5/34-19, Sec. 34-19). However, Public Act 100-0421 provides exceptions to this law for children who “demonstrate high ability and who may benefit from accelerated placement”. 

District 68 has identified early entrance to kindergarten and first grade as whole grade acceleration, appropriate for those students who are  intellectually and developmentally ready for those grades.  The decision to allow a student early entrance is solely at the discretion of the school team.

Early Entrance Requirements and Process 

1. Pre-requisite Paperwork: The child must be registered with Skokie School District 68 and provide proof of residency at the time of application.   

2. The child must turn 5 years of age by September 30 of that school year for early entrance into kindergarten and 6 years of age by December 31 of that school year for early entrance into first grade. 

3. If the child meets the age requirements stated above, parents/guardians must contact their building principal, submit the Acceleration Request - Early Entrance form and submit any outside data for consideration. The application deadline is April 1 for that upcoming school year.  For families moving into the school district boundaries after April 1, applications will be accepted but the district may not be able to fulfill the request for the upcoming school year though efforts will be made to do so.  

4. The building principal will schedule an appointment by May 1st which shall include the child’s parents/guardians and the school psychologist.  The parent must ensure that the school has received the Acceleration Request form and any accompanying data prior to the appointment.  A review of these records will determine what additional readiness assessments will be necessary.  In most cases, a developmental assessment will occur, to ensure the child has the necessary school readiness skills and dispositions to be successful. 

5. The principal will confer with the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction and will then contact the child’s parents to convey the decision made.  This decision is final.