The application window for early entrance for the 2025-26 school year will open on February 4, 2025. 

About Early Entrance

A unique type of whole-grade acceleration is early entrance to school (i.e., Kindergarten or first grade). When considering early entrance into kindergarten or first grade, keep in mind it is a process designed to meet the academic and social needs of the child. Students accepted into Kindergarten or 1st grade early are placed in a class where peers could be up to two years older. 

Early entrance is considered when guardians request that their child be enrolled in Kindergarten or 1st grade at the start of the upcoming school year even though the child is not yet five years old (Kindergarten) or six years old (1st grade) on or before September 1. 

Criteria for Early Entrance to Kindergarten

• The child’s fifth birthday is after September 1, 20XX
• Child is screened for academics & school readiness
• Both guardian and most recent teacher/day care provider (if applicable) complete BASC-3 rating scales 

• Readiness includes: 

  • (1) able to spend time away from primary caregiver without exhibiting major stress

  • (2) adequate control of basic body functions

  • (3) normally developing gross and fine motor skills or better (unless due to a physical disability)

  • (4) comfortable with slightly older children (possibly evidenced by play with older siblings, participation in mixed age community activities like sports, group day care, camp participation, etc.) and with adult caregivers who are supportive. 

Child must score in the 50th percentile or above on all academic measures in order to qualify for early entrance to kindergarten. Academic proficiency alone does not guarantee acceptance.

Criteria for Early Entrance to 1st Grade

• The child’s sixth birthday is after September 1, 20XX
• Child is screened for academics & school readiness
• Both guardian and most recent teacher/day care provider (if applicable) complete BASC-3 rating scales.

• Readiness includes: 

  (1) able to spend time away from primary caregiver without exhibiting major stress

  (2) adequate control of basic body functions

  (3) normally developing gross and fine motor skills or better (unless due to a physical disability)

  (4) comfortable with slightly older children (possibly evidenced by play with older siblings, participation in mixed age community activities like sports, group day care, camp participation, etc.) and with adult caregivers who are supportive. 

Child must score in the 50th percentile or above on all academic measures in order to qualify for early entrance to 1st grade. Academic proficiency alone does not guarantee acceptance.

Iowa Acceleration Scale (IAS)

The IAS is an objective guide for considering an individual child for academic acceleration. Developed and piloted by the Belin-Blank Center for Gifted Education, the IAS ensures that acceleration decisions are systematic, thoughtful, well-reasoned, and defensible. Oak Grove School utilizes the IAS to collect data and take personal bias out of the decision-making process about early entry.

Timeline 

• April: Application Due
• April-May: BASC-3 completed by most recent teacher/day care provider (if applicable) and guardian
• May-June: Academic readiness screening at Oak Grove School (by appointment)
• June: Review of IAS and data collected; final decision communicated