Kindergarten Readiness

Eligibility -

Kindergarten readiness begins with eligibility. In order to be eligible for kindergarten, most states require children to reach the age of 5 on or before October 16th, but some states are different. Check with your local school district for specific requirements.

Is it good to delay your child’s entry into kindergarten, assuming the birthday is near your state's cutoff date? It depends.

Ask yourself:

1. Why am I considering a delay?

2. Is it based solely on age?

3. Is it based on readiness?

4. Is it based on physical size?

5. Is it based on emotional maturity?

6. Is it based on child care considerations?

All of these considerations may be valid in some circumstances. However, delaying entry doesn't guarantee academic success.

The evidence based on the latest research is mixed. For an excellent summary of the research, see the National Institute for Early Education Research website (NIEER) .

Return from Kindergarten Readiness to Pre-Kindergarten.