Entering kindergarten is one form of accelerating one’s path through schooling. The unique needs of young learners require policies for early entrance to kindergarten to be flexible, and options for parents to be accessible and equitable across school districts and communities. In this article, the author discusses state policies for early entrance to kindergarten, issues to consider when making decisions about enrolling one’s child into kindergarten early, and emphasizes the need to examine not only the child for indicators of readiness but also more importantly the environment in which the child is entering. Ideally, when considering early entrance into kindergarten, the child’s holistic needs would match the placement.
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