Children develop and grow at different rates. In Illinois, children enrolling in Kindergarten must be 5 years old by September 1^st of the year of entrance. However, in certain cases, families may seek early entrance into Kindergarten in order to best meet with children’s development needs. This is considered in circumstances where children appear intellectually and socially advanced for their age. In collaboration with a child’s pre-school and local school district parents may determine that early entrance to Kindergarten is appropriate for their child based on their social maturity, cognitive development, and their academic skills. Following an observation with the local school district to determine if an individual is socially ready for Kindergarten, a psycho-educational evaluation may be recommended. This evaluation typically consists of a measure to assess an individual’s intelligence/cognitive skills, an assessment of academic readiness, and a measure of visual motor integration. This evaluation can be completed in one session and brief results are verbally provided to the family that day. A written report is then provided within one week of the session. Families can then provide this report to school who will review the results and make a determination if a child will be allowed early admittance into Kindergarten.

If you have any further questions, or would like to schedule an assessment, please contact our office at (630) 968-0792.