Most school systems require that a child be at least five years old before entering kindergarten. The “cutoff date” – i.e., the date by which your child must turn five – is usually September 1st or December 1st, but in some schools, the cutoff date is as early as June 1st. Although this is still the normal parameter for determining readiness, educators are beginning to focus more and more on a child’s level of development rather than his age. The real test of kindergarten readiness isn’t in chronological age – a kid of any age can be lacking in certain crucial skills – but in your child’s ability to think logically, speak plainly, and relate to others.
What is a kindergarten screening?
Some schools do this routinely before kindergarten enrollment as a way of assessing a child’s abilities. A screening is not a readiness test – it doesn’t measure nearly all the factors that make a child considered ready for school – nor is it an intelligence test. It’s just a way of discovering whether your child is developing on par with his age group and of ensuring that his needs will be met in kindergarten. Most commonly, a screening lasts anywhere from fifteen to twenty minutes and includes tests such as:
Drawing and copying: the screener will note hand preference, comfort level, and fine motor and gripping skills.
Visual and auditory memory: how well the child is able to remember what he's just seen and heard.
Building with blocks: tests the child's hand/eye coordination, fine motor and dexterity skills, and perception.
Using language: the screener will ask the child to describe things or solve simple problems using reasoning skills.
Body movements: the child will be asked to hop, skip, and balance.
A screening may or may not include speech, hearing, dental, and vision tests. They may also want to know your child’s immunization history, so be sure to have that information handy just in case.