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Administrative Procedures 5000 - Students
Administrative Procedure 5111.11 - Early Entrance Into First Grade

Administrative Procedure 5111.11 - Early Entrance Into First Grade

I. Purpose

To provide a standardized procedure for a student’s early entrance into first grade.

II. Policy

The Board of Education maintains that extremely talented kindergarten students should be declared eligible to enroll into the first grade when it is determined by staff that those students have the maturity and ability to succeed academically in the first grade. (Policy 5111)

III. Procedures

  1. All children who are eligible for enrollment in kindergarten by virtue of age, must be enrolled in kindergarten. Kindergarten students may be nominated by a parent/guardian, teacher, or principal for early admission to first grade. Parent/Guardian Nomination form is Attachment 4.
    1. A student who is granted early admission to kindergarten as a four-year-old and who, as determined by the Chief Executive Officer/designee, at the end of the kindergarten school year demonstrates capabilities warranting promotion to first grade, is to be promoted to first grade without the need for testing or assessment.
  2. Process for students who have successfully completed a private kindergarten program but are not age eligible for first grade.
    1. Eligible students must be enrolled in a Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) kindergarten class. Upon request from a parent/guardian, information will be provided regarding the timeline, eligibility process, and assessment information for early entrance into first grade.
    2. Timeline: The screening process for early entrance to first grade will begin 4 – 6 weeks from the first day of school, to allow time for the student to become acclimated to the school environment. Final decisions will be made by the end of Quarter 1.
    3. Eligibility Process: Students will be evaluated to determine whether (1) the academic record shows mastery of kindergarten; and (2) any existing standardized reading and mathematics assessment scores indicate mastery of kindergarten skills. Eligible students will be administered an oral/online reading and mathematics assessment provided from the Elementary Reading/English Language Arts (R/ELA) and Mathematics Offices. In additional, school staff will schedule a Student Intervention Team (SIT) meeting to discuss and determine placement.

      1. Assessment Information: School staff must contact the Division of Academics to receive further information on administration procedures and/or to schedule appointments for testing eligible students.
      2. The mathematics assessment will be administered by a designee in the Mathematics Office.
      3. The R/ELA assessment will measure early reading behaviors and text reading. It will be administered by a Reading Recovery teacher from the Elementary R/ELA Office.
      4. The Reading Recovery teacher and the Mathematics Office designee will provide a summary of the results to the principal for the SIT meeting members’ consideration.
    5. If the parent and/or guardian does not agree with the placement, the decision can be appealed through the Office of Appeals.
  3. Process for students who have not attended a private kindergarten program but are not age eligible for grade one.
    1. Eligible students must be enrolled in a PGCPS kindergarten class. Upon request from a parent/guardian, information will be provided regarding the timeline, eligibility process, and assessment information for early entrance into first grade.
    2. Timeline: The screening process for early entrance to first grade will begin with the 4 – 6 week observation period from the first day of school, to allow time for the student to become acclimated to the school. After the observation period is completed, the SIT will meet to make a final decision by the end of Quarter 1 (Attachment 1).
    3. At the completion of the 4–6 week observation period, the child will be reviewed by the SIT. Attachments 3 and 4 will be reviewed at the SIT meeting. If the child’s performance level is high enough to warrant additional screening, and if the parent/guardian gives consent, an Otis Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT) will be administered to the child. The test can be secured from the Talented and Gifted Office (TAG). Parental consent is required prior to administering the test.
    4. Students who meet the 80% requirements on each of the three sections of the Observation Checklist and whose school ability score on the Otis Lennon School Ability Test is 126 (95% or higher) may be recommended for early admission to Grade 1 by the SIT. Full-time placement into first grade for students who qualify must occur near the beginning of the second quarter to maximize the first grade experience.
    5. The Report on Early Admittance to First Grade (Attachment 2) must be included in the child’s cumulative student file. A copy of this report must be sent to the TAG Office. The Observation Checklist (Attachment 3) and Parent Nomination Form (Attachment 4) must be maintained in the child’s cumulative folder. The child’s first grade report card must have the following statement recorded instead of first quarter grades: “This student entered first grade after completion of the Early Entrance into First Grade Procedure.”
    6. After studying the recommendation, the principal will inform the parent/ guardian of one of the following:
      1. The child is recommended to remain in kindergarten with appropriate experiences;
      2. The child is recommended to have both kindergarten and appropriate first grade experiences; or
      3. The child is recommended for placement in first grade (Attachment 5).
    7. The cognitive, social, and physical development of each child who is accelerated to the first grade will be reviewed as the school year progresses. After consultation with the parent/guardian, any child who is determined to be inappropriately placed in the first grade may be reassigned to the kindergarten program and receive appropriate enrichment experiences.
    8. The following documents are to be used in implementing this administrative procedure:
      1. Attachment 1 - Timeline for completing Early First Grade Entrance Procedure
      2. Attachment 2 - Report on Early Admittance to First Grade
      3. Attachment 3 - Teacher’s Observation Checklist
      4. Attachment 4 - Parent Nomination Form
      5. Attachment 5 - Sample Letters (2)
    9. A copy of Report on Early Admittance to First Grade (Attachment 2) is sent to the TAG Office. The original is placed in the student’s cumulative folder.
    10. If the parent/guardian does not agree with the placement, the decision can be appealed through the Office of Appeals.

IV. Monitoring and Compliance

  1. Schools shall keep records of all students requesting Early Entrance into First Grade. This file will be kept in one folder in the main office entitled “Early Entrance to First Grade.” The document will include the first and last name of the student, the student identification number, the date of the SIT assessment review and final SIT determination (Remaining in Kindergarten or Moved to First Grade).
  2. The SIT’s final decision letter must be included in each student’s cumulative file.
  3. Schools will work in collaboration with the Division of Academics to resolve errors made by school-based staff.
  4. Any appeals will be directed to the Office of Appeals.

V. Related Policies and Procedures

VI. Maintenance and Update of These Procedures

This administrative procedure originates with the Division of Academics and will be updated as needed.

VII. Cancellations and Supersedures

This administrative procedure cancels and supersedes Administrative Procedure 5111.11, dated September 21, 2020.

VIII. Effective Date

Last Revised: September 2, 2022

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