Kindergarten Early Entrance FAQ

Who is eligible to enter kindergarten early?

State and LOSD guidelines require that students entering Kindergarten in the fall must be five (5) years of age on or before September 1. However, a child whose birthdate falls on or between September 2nd and September 15th may enter kindergarten if early entrance requirements are met.

My child’s birthday is after September 15th, can I still register my child for early admission? 

Children with birthdays after September 15th of the school year are not eligible for enrollment or early admission consideration according to School Board Policy.

What assessment areas are evaluated for Kindergarten Early Entrance?

Your child’s eligibility for early entrance to kindergarten will be based on an evaluation of your child’s readiness for kindergarten. The early entrance process involves an objective evaluation of your child’s cognitive, gross and fine motor, perceptual-motor, communication, and social/emotional development. Children under consideration for early admission will be recommended to attend the district’s Kindergarten Transition Program in the summer. During this time school staff will gather additional information about the child’s readiness for continued early admission into kindergarten for the full year. The principal, with input from the school staff, will determine if early admission to kindergarten is appropriate. The decision to continue or discontinue the early admission to kindergarten will be shared with the parent in August following the Kindergarten Transition Program.

• Cognitive — A standardized developmental inventory is used to assess the child's cognitive development, which includes: ability to attend to visual and auditory stimuli and to retrieve information; critical thinking skills; and ability to conceptualize, discriminate, and draw relationships among object features (such as size and shape).
• Fine Motor — A standardized developmental inventory is used to assess the child’s fine muscle control and coordination, particularly the small muscles in the arms and hands that allow performance of increasingly complicated tasks such as tracing, cutting, and tying.
• Communication — A standardized developmental inventory is used to assess the child's receptive language (ability to discriminate, recognize, and understand sounds and words, and understanding and use of conversational skills) and expressive language development (use of words to relate information to others, knowledge of and ability to use simple rules of grammar, and use of language as a tool for social contact).
• Perceptual Motor — A standardized developmental inventory is used to measure child’s ability to integrate fine motor and perceptual skills for tasks such as stacking blocks, copying geometric shapes, letters, and numbers.
• Social/Emotional — A child’s readiness is assessed by information provided on the Parent or Guardian Questionnaire and the Preschool/Daycare Questionnaire, and by behavior observed during the assessment session.

What is the evaluation process for determining student eligibility for early entrance into kindergarten?

Step 1:  Individual Testing

The individual testing takes approximately 60-90 minutes and takes place at a centralized location within the district.

Step 2:  Outcomes of Individual Testing

Families are notified of the testing results approximately two (2) weeks from the testing date.

Step 3:  Trial Period

Children under consideration for early admission will be recommended to attend the district’s Kindergarten Transition Program in the summer. During this time school staff will gather additional information about the child’s readiness for continued early admission into kindergarten for the full year.

The principal, with input from the school staff, will determine if early admission to kindergarten is appropriate. The decision to continue or discontinue the early admission to kindergarten will be shared with the parent in August following the Kindergarten Transition Program.

What is the deadline to apply?

The Kindergarten Early Entrance Evaluation Application deadline is July 1.

How do I apply for an early entrance to kindergarten assessment for my child?

Follow the steps under Kindergarten Early Admission.

How will I know when my child is scheduled for the testing?

Kindergarten Early Entrance evaluations will be scheduled and completed before August each year. Families will receive communication of the date and time of their child’s assessment appointment.

What if my child doesn’t meet requirements on the individual testing administered by the Kindergarten Early Entrance assessment team and I do not believe the scores represent my child’s kindergarten readiness skills?

The parent may appeal decisions in accordance with Lake Oswego School District Policy #KL.

If found eligible to enter kindergarten early, how do I enroll my child?

Parents may submit enrollment forms to their resident school. If your child is eligible for early entrance to kindergarten, information about the enrollment process will be provided upon final approval.

When will I know the results of the testing?

Families are notified of the testing results approximately two (2) weeks from the testing date.

How do I register my child for the Kindergarten Transition Program?

Children under consideration for early admission will be recommended to attend the district’s Kindergarten Transition Program in the summer (late July/early August). During this time, school staff will gather additional information about the child’s readiness to continue for the full school year. For more information and to register, please visit the Community School website. Registration opens on March 1. 

What if my child doesn’t qualify for kindergarten early admission?

You may enroll the child in the fee-based pre-kindergarten program offered through Lake Oswego Community School, dependent on space available.

We don’t live in Lake Oswego. Can I register my child for early admission evaluation in the Lake Oswego School District?

No. We do not accept Early Entrance Kindergartner out-of-district transfers or tuition students.

How can I prepare my child for the testing? 

There is no studying for the tests; they are standardized tests to assess readiness skills and reasoning abilities. You can prepare your child by having them get a good night’s sleep and a healthy meal before the testing appointment.

What is my child needs accommodations due to a diagnosed disability? 

A child must have a verified record of an identified disability (such as vision, hearing, motor, etc.) that impacts the testing environment. Any modifications and/or accommodations must be allowed by the publisher of the standardized test.

What if my child is sick on the scheduled testing day?

If your child is too sick to be tested or comes down sick the morning of the scheduled assessment appointment, please contact Lisa Oliva at 503-534-2120 or contact us prior to the testing appointment to reschedule.