Early Entry to Kindergarten

The window to seek early admission in 2023-24 has closed.  

In Fayette County Public Schools (FCPS), children who turn 5 on or before Aug. 1 can start kindergarten in the fall. In accordance with KRS 158.031(6), FCPS has set guidelines for early admission for those who have mastered certain benchmarks and have above-average skill levels before age 5. Children who turn 5 between Aug. 2 and Oct. 31 may be eligible for early admission as long as they meet or exceed these physical, behavioral, academic, and social/emotional criteria established by the Fayette County Board of Education.

• KDE resource: School Readiness Definition  

Early entrance into kindergarten is governed by law through KRS 158.030, and parents/guardians may petition FCPS for early enrollment. 

A child must turn 4 years old on or before Oct. 31 for assessment and observation opportunities. Children showing a need for acceleration are assessed via school-level observations and readiness tests. The child must score in the 96 percentile on the kindergarten readiness exam and 75% on a social/emotional observation to be considered for a possible placement.

We will let families know if their student has met the eligibility requirements for early entrance to kindergarten.

Because of the timeline and multiple steps in the process, we are unable to accept any late applications.