Kindergarten Information

Q. How can I prepare my child for kindergarten?

A. We recommend working on the following skills with your kindergartener to help prepare them for school.

• Count objects to 100 and read numbers in the world around us
• Learn to say their full name and write their first name
• Name objects with a specific attribute, for example name something blue in your house or something that is shaped like a square
• Listen to a story and retell it in your own words
• Put a puzzle together
• Tie shoes, button buttons, zip zippers, snap snaps
• Say the alphabet and practice capital and lowercase letters
• Play rhyming games

The Ohio Department of Education also has several great resources available on their website for kindergarten readiness.

Q. At what age should my child start kindergarten?

A. If your child will be 5 years old on or before September 30th of the current school year, he/she is eligible to start kindergarten for the current school year. View the Kindergarten Guide. Kindergarten Screening is handled at the building, so contact them for more information.

Q. How do I enroll my kindergartener?

A. Please register your child online for Current Year at: https://www.hilliardschools.org/kindergarten-current-year
Please register your child online for Next Year at: https://www.hilliardschools.org/25-26-k-12-registration/

Q. What immunizations are required for school attendance?

A. The Immunization Requirements form includes all immunizations required for school attendance.

Q. Does Ohio require children to attend kindergarten?

A. Yes. Ohio law requires children in this state go to kindergarten. Districts cannot admit a child to first grade who has not completed kindergarten unless the district has admitted the child for early entrance to first grade, which means skipping kindergarten.

Q. What should I expect during screening?

A. This is an exciting time for students, families, and staff. You will tour the building and meet some of the school personnel. In addition, district-trained kindergarten screeners will test your child’s readiness skills. This is not a pass/fail screening. Your child’s vision, speech, and hearing may also be evaluated. You can expect this process to take approximately 60-90 minutes. You will receive more detailed information from your child’s home building after your registration is complete.

Q. What is early entrance to kindergarten or first grade?

A. According to State Law, children who turn (5) years of age on or before September 30 of the school year are eligible for enrollment in kindergarten. For children who turn (5) years of age AFTER September 30, but BEFORE January 1 of that same school year, grade acceleration assessments are available to determine whether or not the child is eligible for “Early Entrance” into kindergarten.

The Ohio Department of Education considers early entrance into kindergarten a grade-level acceleration and therefore requires school districts to formally evaluate to determine if a child is a candidate for acceleration.

Q. How do I refer my child for early entrance to kindergarten?

A. If your child turns (5) years of age between October 1st and December 31st of a given school year and you would like for them to participate in the early entrance assessment process please complete the following steps:

Please register your child online for Current Year at: https://www.hilliardschools.org/kindergarten-current-year
Please register your child online for Next Year at: https://www.hilliardschools.org/25-26-k-12-registration/
Come to the Hilliard City Schools Welcome Center to pick up an Early Entrance Application
Complete the application, records release, parent questionnaire, and preschool teacher questionnaire and return all four documents to Hilliard City School District Central Office no later than July 31st

Once your application documents are received, you will be contacted by a school psychologist to schedule an assessment. Assessments will occur from April through May and again in August (for applications received over the summer).