PARENT’S GUIDE
for Early Entrance to Kindergarten
2016–2017
CLEVELAND METROPOLITAN SCHOOL DISTRICT
1111 Superior Ave. E., Cleveland, Ohio 44114
Office of Gifted Education
Lucille Komichak
Gifted Coordinator K–8
o 216.838.0131
f 216.436.5058
Legislation Governing Early Entrance to Kindergarten and Giftedness
•A parent may request early entrance to kindergarten if the child turns five years of age after the District’s
kindergarten entrance date of September 30, 2016 and before January 1, 2017. Entrance shall be determined
through a standardized testing program.
•Children who will not yet be the proper age for entrance to kindergarten by the first day of January of the
school year for which admission is requested shall also be evaluated for possible early admittance if referred
by an educator within the District, a preschool educator who knows the child or pediatrician or psychologist
who knows the child.
•Early entrance to kindergarten is a subject typically addressed through gifted education. It is covered in the
State of Ohio’s Model Student Acceleration Policy. According to the Ohio Revised Code (3324.01), “gifted”
means students who perform or show potential for performing at remarkably high levels of accomplishment
when compared to others of their age, experience or environment and who are identified under Division (A),
(B), (C), or (D) of Section 3324.03 of the Revised Code.
Is Early Entrance to Kindergarten the Best Choice for Your Child?
Early entrance should be viewed as a means of meeting a child’s needs. The key to determining whether or not
early entrance is appropriate for a child is developmental readiness. Even though a child may have a lot of ability,
he/she may not be ready for kindergarten. Other important factors to consider are social maturity, personal
development and motor development.
Early entrance is designed for the exceptional child who is both academically ready as well as developmentally
mature when compared to others his/her chronological age.
Some considerations when determining if early entrance is right for a child:
•Is my child capable of working in a classroom setting with children who are one year older than he/she?
•Will my child be frustrated by this placement?
•What are the possible long-term impacts as my child progresses through elementary, middle and high school
(i.e., beginning college at a younger age)?
•Do I understand the expectations for students in kindergarten today?
There is a difference between ability and achievement. Some children may appear exceptional simply because of their
access to opportunities (i.e., preschool programs, parents working with them on skills or access to learning materials).
Early entrance is designed for the child who has high ability and easily achieves when presented with new material.
Once the decision has been made for early entrance, the choice is difficult to reverse. If a child is evaluated as a good
candidate for early entrance to kindergarten, it is important that all stakeholders are supportive of the decision.
2016–17 Early Entrance to Kindergarten
Cleveland Metropolitan School District
Below are examples of what to look for in the areas of ability, achievement, aptitude and behavior.
My child seems advanced beyond other children his/her age in these ways:
•understands the meanings and use of words better than other children his/her age;
•is curious about many things and asks questions often;
•is very good at working puzzles or solving problems;
•has a great sense of humor and understands jokes more than other children his/her age;
•has a good memory and remembers details of conversations or stories;
•is interested in difficult concepts such as time and space;
•concentrates on certain activities much longer than other children his/her age;
•reads (and understands text) in picture books or chapter books;
•figures out math-related problems better than other children his/her age.
Expectations of Kindergarten Students
Kindergarten, like many other areas of education, has changed considerably over the past couple of decades.
Today’s kindergarten students are engaged in a rigorous instructional program. Ohio, along with many other states
across the United States, has adopted Common CORE for the purpose of preparing Ohioans to meet the demands
of the knowledge-based economy and the needs of the 21st Century.
What are some important school and academic factors?
My child:
•enjoys leaning new information or skills;
•participates in community-sponsored activities such as sports, dance, gymnastics, library and museum programs;
•believes he/she is capable of succeeding at new tasks;
•has the ability to attend, or pay attention, for relatively long periods of instruction;
•he/she can draw and trace basic shapes and cut with scissors.
What are some important developmental factors?
My child has the following developmental characteristics:
•He/she has average fine and large motor coordination (i.e., holding a pencil, skipping);
•He/she is able to use the computer to play games or find information;
•He/she can use the bathroom without adult help;
•He/she can button and zip up shirts and pants, tie or Velcro shoes and put on and take off his/her coat;
•He/she is able to separate from the parent without being upset.
2016–17 Early Entrance to Kindergarten
Cleveland Metropolitan School District
What are some important interpersonal skills for entering school?
My child:
•thoughtfully considers feedback and criticism and modifies behavior appropriately;
•often behaves in a way that is positive and effective;
•has good interpersonal skills with age-mates, as well as with both older and younger children and with adults;
•has excellent interpersonal relationships with adults in a teaching role;
•has the ability to follow routines.
What are some important attitudes and supports necessary for success in school?
•My child is enthusiastic about going to kindergarten.
•As a parent, I understand that a child’s success in school depends on support provided at home. I am able to give
my child additional support to help in his/her transition to a new setting with much higher academic demands
than he/she encountered in preschool.
2016–17 Early Entrance to Kindergarten
Cleveland Metropolitan School District
Ohio Department of Education Website
Parents can easily access information about kindergarten on the Ohio Department of Education’s website,
which can be found at education.ohio.gov.
The Ohio Department of Education’s website also contains useful information about the next generation
of assessments. Understanding a child’s learning and development is critical to both families and educators.
As of the fall of 2014, a new Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA) was used which is based on Ohio’s
Early Learning and Development Standards.
The Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA) will give kindergarten teachers a comprehensive picture of
a child’s learning and development at kindergarten entry, pinpointing where each child is in physical wellbeing and motor development, language and literacy, mathematics, science, social studies and social skills.
CMSD’s kindergarten is a full-day program. Students are expected to participate in the academic program
throughout the day.
Age Eligibility: A student must be 5 years of age to enter kindergarten. Compulsory school age is 6.
However, if a child enters kindergarten at age 5, he/she is considered to be of compulsory school age.
No district shall admit to the first grade a child who has not successfully completed kindergarten.
CMSD considers a child eligible for entrance into “regular” kindergarten if he/she attains the age of 5
on or before September 30th of the year he/she applies for entrance.
In 2001, the Cleveland Metropolitan School Board adopted the State of Ohio’s Model Student Acceleration
Policy for Advanced Learners:
“Children who are referred for evaluation for possible accelerated placement 60 or more days prior to the
start of the school year shall be evaluated in advance of the start of the school year so that the child may be
placed in the accelerated placement on the first day of school. Children who will not yet be the proper age
for entrance to kindergarten or first grade by the first day of January of the school year for which admission
is requested shall also be evaluated for possible early admittance if referred by an educator within the district,
a preschool educator who knows the child, or pediatrician or psychologist who know the child. Children
who will not yet be the proper age for entrance to kindergarten or first grade by the first day of January of
the school year for which admission is requested may also be evaluated for possible early admittance at the
discretion of the principal of the school to which the student may be admitted.”
2016–17 Early Entrance to Kindergarten
Cleveland Metropolitan School District
Applying for Early Entrance to Kindergarten
1.If you believe that your child may be a good candidate for early entrance to kindergarten, you may download
an application packet by visiting our website: clevelandmetroschools.org and selecting DEPARTMENTS.
Select GIFTED EDUCATION and scroll down until you see the word “forms” on the left side of the page.
The application for testing should be the first form on that page.
2.Download and complete the application. Return the application to the Gifted Coordinator’s Office by scanning
and emailing, faxing or dropping it off at the 1111 Superior Avenue business address. Contact information is
located on the application form.
3.All evaluations will be scheduled through the Gifted Coordinator’s Office. Your application will be processed
and the appropriate assessments will be scheduled.
Early Entrance to Kindergarten Evaluation Procedure
The Cleveland Metropolitan School District evaluates students for early entrance to kindergarten using the Iowa
Acceleration Scale, 3rd Edition (IAS) in accordance with ODE Model Policy for Academic Acceleration. As
required, an Acceleration Evaluation Committee will review the results of the comprehensive evaluation and
determine the most appropriate available learning environment for your child.
The Acceleration Evaluation Committee Members consists of:
1.the child’s receiving principal or assistant principal
2.a teacher at the grade level to which the student may be accelerated
3.a parent or legal guardian of the referred student or a representative designated by a parent or legal guardian
of the referred child
4.a gifted education coordinator or gifted intervention specialist. If a gifted coordinator or gifted intervention
specialist is not available in the district, a school psychologist or guidance counselor with expertise in the
appropriate use of academic acceleration may be substituted.
2016–17 Early Entrance to Kindergarten
Cleveland Metropolitan School District
Once all of the required acceleration documents have been received, arrangements will be made to begin
the evaluation process.
1.You will bring your child to the East Professional Building, 1349 Superior Ave, Cleveland, Ohio 44114, for a short
KBIT screening which involves a 30-minute observation by a gifted intervention specialist and a 30-minute KBIT
test performed by a school psychologist. Screening will take place in May.
2.After your child’s score is calculated:
a. You will be contacted by a staff member to schedule your child’s individual achievement and
aptitude assessment.
—or—
b. You will be notified if your child’s ability score is below what is recommended to continue the
acceleration evaluation process.
3. Individual achievement testing will take place during the Summer Testing Clinic in June. Your child will be
scheduled for the test, which takes approximately two hours. Testing will be performed by a school psychologist
using the following testing methods:
• Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI)
• Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement
4. When your child’s results are calculated, the Acceleration Evaluation Team will schedule an appointment for
you to attend a meeting where the Iowa Acceleration Scale, 3rd Edition will be used to determine the outcome
of your child’s evaluation. The team will conduct a fair and thorough evaluation of the child. Results will be
known by the conclusion of the meeting.
• If your child is recommended for early entrance to kindergarten, a Written Education Plan (WAP)
will be completed. You will receive an acceptance letter with instructions on how to register your child
for kindergarten.
• If your child is not recommended for early entrance to kindergarten, you will receive a letter with
a recommendation for the CMSD Preschool Program, and instructions on how to register your child
for preschool.
Application for early entrance to kindergarten — pages 9–12
2016–17 Early Entrance to Kindergarten
Cleveland Metropolitan School District
Early Entrance to Kindergarten Process
Parent and/or Guardian is required to submit an
application for early entrance to Gifted Coordinator.
Recommended deadline is Thursday, March 24, 2016
Phase I: Gifted Coordinator schedules initial KBIT Screening by school
psychologist and student observation will take place in May 2016 at the
East Professional Center, 1349 Superior Ave, Cleveland, Ohio 44103.
If the student passes KBIT Screening:
If the student does not pass KBIT Screening:
•• Parent/Guardian will be notified within
five days of screening.
•• Gifted Coordinator will schedule the student
for further individual assessment.
•• Student will participate in testing at
the Summer Clinic in June at the
East Professional Center.
•• Parent/Guardian will be notified within
five days of screening.
•• Student will receive a non-acceptance letter
for early entrance to kindergarten.
•• Student will be recommended for CMSD’s
Pre-Kindergarten program.
•• End of Phase I
Phase II: Summer Clinic Testing
•• Student participates in an approximate two-hour WPPSI and WJ-ACH
test by a school psychologist at East Professional Center.
•• Parent/Guardian will be notified within 24 hours to schedule an IOWA
Acceleration Scale, 3rd Edition (IAS) team meeting to discuss testing results.
•• Team meeting will be conducted to share results of WPPSI and
WJ-ACH test and to fill out IAS.
Early entrance is recommended:
Early entrance is not recommended:
•• Full Scale IQ is > 115
•• IOWA Acceleration Scale totals
44 points or higher
•• Team conference and decision
•• Full Scale IQ is < 115
•• IOWA Acceleration Scale total is
less than 44 points
•• Team conference and decision
•• Student receives recommendation for
CMSD Pre-Kindergarten Program
•• End of Phase II
•• Written Acceleration Plan (WAP)
is completed by Gifted Coordinator
•• Progress in kindergarten is monitored by
Gifted Coordinator and classroom teacher
•• End of Phase II
2016–17 Early Entrance to Kindergarten
Cleveland Metropolitan School District
A P P L I C AT I O N F O R
E A R LY E N T R A N C E T O
KINDERGARTEN
Please complete this application if you feel that your child demonstrates academic achievement, social, emotional, and
physical maturity appropriate for kindergarten placement and should be considered for early entrance.
Student/Family Information
Child’s Name: __________________________________________________________
First
Middle
Last
Birth Date: __________ / __________ / __________
Month
Day
Year
M
Gender (Circle one):
F
Language Spoken at Home: ______________________________
Home Address: _______________________________________________________________________________________
Street
City
State
ZIP
Parent/Guardian Name: _______________________________________________________________________________
Relationship to Child: _________________________________________________________________________________
Home Phone #: ____________________ Work Phone #: ____________________ Cell Phone #: ____________________
Preschool/Daycare Experience
List the preschools, Head Start, special programs, and other day care programs attended. Include the teacher name(s),
dates of attendance and phone number.
Name of School/Program
Teacher
Dates of Attendance
Phone Number
Why do you feel that your child would be ready for a kindergarten program? Comment on your child’s social behavior
and academic skills. (Use additional paper and attach, if needed.)
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Your signature indicates that you have read and understand the contents of the Early Entrance Guide.
Print Name of Parent/Legal Guardian
Signature of Parent/Legal Guardian
Return application for review by March 24, 2016
Please return this form to: Lucille Komichak, Gifted Coordinator K-8
Cleveland Metropolitan School District, 1111 Superior Ave. E., #1752, Cleveland, 44114
fax: 216.436.5058 | email: [email protected]
Date
KINDERGARTEN READINESS CHECKLIST
The seven broad developmental dimensions provide the framework for the kindergarten instructional program.
This checklist will help in determining your child’s readiness for a kindergarten program.
Please read each statement and indicate, by placing a checkmark, how you rate your child’s abilities.
P H Y S I C A L W E L L- B E I N G A N D M O T O R D E V E L O P M E N T
FREQUENTLY
SOMETIMES
NEVER
FREQUENTLY
SOMETIMES
NEVER
FREQUENTLY
SOMETIMES
NEVER
FREQUENTLY
SOMETIMES
NEVER
FREQUENTLY
SOMETIMES
NEVER
FREQUENTLY
SOMETIMES
NEVER
FREQUENTLY
SOMETIMES
NEVER
Performs self-help tasks independently (dressing, undressing, zipping, tying,
toileting, eating)
Uses eye/hand coordination to perform fine motor tasks
(drawing, writing, and cutting)
Uses balance and control to perform large motor tasks
(walking, jumping and skipping)
PERSONAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Shows eagerness to learn (curious, likes to investigate)
Follows rules and routines (cleans up at play time)
Handles change and transition (dinner time to bedtime)
Interacts easily with one or more children
Separates easily from parent
The ability to listen (attend) for at least 10 minutes
L A N G UAG E A N D L I T E R AC Y
Listens for meaning in stories, discussions, and conversations
Speaks clearly, able to share ideas and thoughts
Can identify most letters (uppercase and lowercase)
Can identify some beginning sounds
Uses letters and words to write
M AT H E M AT I C A L T H I N K I N G
Can recognize numbers 0-20
Can orally count forward to 20
Can recognize, duplicate, and extend simple patterns
(circle-triangle, circle-triangle, circle-triangle)
Can recognize and duplicate basic shapes
S C I E N T I FI C T H I N K I N G
Uses a magnifying glass to look at different objects
Can describe and sort objects by one or more properties
Uses the five senses to make observations about the natural world
SOCIAL STUDIES
Recognizes self and other as having same and different characteristics
Describes roles and responsibilities of people
(Mom is a doctor, she helps sick people.)
Recognizes the reasons for rules
THE ARTS
Likes to paint and draw
Likes to sing and dance
Can share ideas about a drawing/painting
Can recognize basic colors
E A R LY E N T R A N C E T O K I N D E R G A R T E N
E VA L U AT I O N A N D R E V I E W
PERMISSION FORM
Child’s Name: __________________________________________________
Date of Birth: ______________________
Address: _______________________________________________________
Phone: ___________________________
Parent/Guardian: ______________________________________________________________________________________
Referred by: __________________________________________________________________________________________
In giving my permission, I understand that any or all of the following may occur in accordance with the Ohio
Department of Education Model Policy for Academic Acceleration:
• Administration of Assessments (e.g. cognitive, achievement, aptitude, and any other appropriate
measures to determine appropriate placement);
• Review of relevant records;
• Observation(s) of my child;
• Interview with caregiver and/or parent/guardian;
• Acceleration Team Evaluation meeting
No assessment, evaluation or review will be done without your written permission.
I understand that if I grant permission, my child will receive assessment(s) by designated school personnel and that
their information may be shared, as required, with teachers, principals, and other appropriate school personnel.
___________ Permission is given to conduct the evaluation and review
___________ Permission is denied
Print Name of Parent/Legal Guardian
Signature of Parent/Legal Guardian
Please Note: Granting permission does not guarantee access to acceleration options.
Please return this form to: Lucille Komichak, Gifted Coordinator K-8
Cleveland Metropolitan School District, 1111 Superior Ave. E., #1752, Cleveland, 44114
fax: 216.436.5058 | email: [email protected]
Date
E D U C AT O R / M E D I C A L P R O F E S S I O N A L
REFERRAL FORM
To be completed by a non-family member
This form is required only if the student will be turning 5 years of age on January 1, 2017 or after. It is recommended
that the parent/guardian bring this form at the time of evaluation if student is turning 5 years of age between
October 1, 2016 and December 31, 2016.
This form may be filled out by: an educator within CMSD, a preschool educator who know the child, or pediatrician
or psychologist who know the child.
Child’s Name: __________________________________________________
Date of Birth: ______________________
Name of person making this referral: ____________________________________________________________________
Title of person making this referral: _____________________________________________________________________
Name of your Organization/Practice: ____________________________________________________________________
Business Address: _______________________________________________
Phone: ___________________________
How do you know the applicant? _______________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Do you feel the applicant would be prepared for Kindergarten in August of 2016? Please explain why or why not:
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Briefly state the characteristics you see in the applicant that you feel make him/her school ready:
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Please return this form to: Lucille Komichak, Gifted Coordinator K-8
Cleveland Metropolitan School District, 1111 Superior Ave. E., #1752, Cleveland, 44114
fax: 216.436.5058 | email: [email protected]