Early Entrance to Kindergarten - Frequently Asked Questions
What is early entrance to Kindergarten?
Bennington Public Schools has established guidelines for parents seeking early admission to Kindergarten for intellectually gifted students who require academic acceleration to meet their educational needs by entering school one year early.
Who is eligible for this opportunity?
Students who will turn five years of age between August 1st and October 15th may sit for the assessment in May of the year prior to the year they wish to enroll for Kindergarten (they will be four years of age during the evaluation).
What tests are administered?
Three tests are utilized to determine whether a student will be granted early entrance. The first assessment is an intellectual (IQ) evaluation, on which a student must receive a score of 125 or higher. This score reflects that the student performs at the 95th percentile or higher (scores better than 95 out of 100 others) when compared to other four year old students who take this evaluation. This criteria is in line with the criteria needed to qualify for the district’s High Ability Learner (gifted and talented) program.
The second test that is administered is a test of fine motor skills, which ensures that students will be able to complete the writing tasks necessary for Kindergarten. On this test, scores of 100 or higher (50th percentile) are needed to qualify.
Finally, students are evaluated for social and emotional maturity through a rating scale that is completed by the child’s parent. On this, students must also score at the 50th percentile or higher on each of the overall index scores.
How can I request an evaluation to determine if my child can enter Kindergarten Early?
If you would like to request an evaluation, please contact the district office at 402-238-3044 and ask for the District Registrar (Jodi McCoy or email at jmccoy@bennps.org). Proof of residency, a birth certificate, and a $100 non-refundable testing fee are required to complete this assessment. Once the paperwork and fee requirements have been met, a School Psychologist will contact you to schedule this individually administered evaluation.