The Wilkes County Board of Education requires all students to meet the eligibility requirements for school admission established by the State and the Board of Education, including age. Any parent or legal guardian who is unclear whether age requirements are met is encouraged to contact the superintendent’s office or the elementary school that the child is likely to attend.
A. Entitlement to Initial Entry
A child who is presented for enrollment at any time during the first 120 days of a school year will be considered eligible for initial entry in either of the following circumstances:
- the child reaches or reached the age of 5 on or before August 31 of that school year; or
- the child resided in another state and was attending school during that school year in accordance with that state’s laws or rules prior to moving to North Carolina. (The child does not need to reach the age of 5 on or before August 31 in this circumstance.)
B. Discretionary Enrollments
The Board of Education may allow a child to be enrolled in the following circumstances:
- the child is presented for enrollment after the first 120 days of a school year and meets one of the circumstances specified above for entitlement to initial entry; or
- the child reached the age of 4 on or before April 16; and the child is presented for enrollment no later than the end of the first month of the school year; and the principal of the school finds, based on information submitted by the child’s parent or guardian, that the child is gifted and that the child has the maturity to justify admission to school. In making such a determination, the principal will follow guidelines established by the State Board of Education. This local Board of Education regards admission of a four year old to be an extraordinary measure and not to be used merely because the child is developmentally advanced.
C. Grade Level of Initial Entry
The initial point of entry will be the kindergarten level. After initial entry, a principal may move the child to the first grade if the principal determines that by reason of maturity, the child can be served more appropriately in the first grade.
D. Evidence of Age
The principal may require the parent or guardian of any child presented for admission for the first time to furnish a certified copy of the child’s birth certificate or other satisfactory evidence of the child’s date of birth.
Legal References: G.S. 115C-288, -364; 1997-1998 State Standards for Early Admission to Kindergarten
Cross References:
Adopted: January 9, 2006
Revised: May 4, 2009