JGAA - Assignments of Students to Classes - Five Year Olds

JGAA - Assignments of Students to Classes - Five Year Olds

Maine law permits children who are at least four years old on October 15th of the school year to enroll in school for Pre-Kindergarten and five years old on October 15th of the school year to enroll in school for Kindergarten.

However, it is recognized that exceptions to this initial placement may be justified under limited circumstances. In such rare cases, enrolling five-year-old students may be placed in first grade at the discretion of school officials in accordance with the following:  

A. Social and emotional maturity should have been demonstrated such as to predict success in grade one;

B. The decision of placement lies with the Principal, appealable to the Superintendent, whose decision shall be final;  

C. The right must be reserved to the school to administer testing as appropriate to making a proper determination of placement;

D. Any such placement is to be conditioned upon demonstrated success and reviewed at appropriate intervals;  

E. A student who was enrolled in a public or private Pre-Kindergarten/Kindergarten and is promoted to first grade may enroll in first grade; and

F. All exceptional placements are to be reported to the Superintendent.  

The Superintendent shall promulgate regulations/procedures to implement this policy.

Legal Reference: 20-A MRSA § 5201

Cross Reference: IKE - Promotion, Retention and Acceleration of Students

JFAA and JFAA-R1 - Admission of Resident Students and Procedure

JFAB – Admission of Non-Resident Students

Policy Adopted: August 19, 1987

Policy Revised: September 18, 1996, December 3, 2003, March 5, 2014 (Replaced JEB-Entrance Age),     November 14, 2018