Enrollment

 

Enrolling a child in an Arkansas public school is addressed in Arkansas law and in the Arkansas Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas Public Schools.

According to Ark. Code Ann. § 6-18-208, "(a) Prior to a child's admission to an Arkansas public school, a school district shall request the parent guardian, or other responsible person to furnish the child's social security number and shall inform the parent, guardian, or other responsible person that, in the alternative, they may request that the school district assign the child a nine-digit number designated by the Department of Education. (b) Prior to a child's admission to Arkansas public school, the parent, guardian, or responsible person shall provide the school district with one (1) of the following documents indicating the child's age: (1) A birth certificate; (2) A statement by the local registrar or a county recorder certifying the child's date of birth; (3) An attested baptismal certificate; (4) A passport; (5) An affidavit of the date and place of birth by the child's parent or guardian; (6) Previous school records; or (7) A United States military identification."

Parents and guardians are encouraged to contact their local school district superintendent’s office for specific information concerning required enrollment documents.

 

Kindergarten Enrollment Age

Children may enter kindergarten in an Arkansas public school if they will attain the age of five (5) years on or before August 1 of the year in which they are seeking initial enrollment.

A child moving from another state may enter kindergarten upon written request to the school district if the child:

  • Has been enrolled in a state-accredited or state-approved kindergarten program in another state for at least sixty (60) days;
  • Will become five (5) years old during the year in which he or she is enrolled in kindergarten, and
  • Meets the basic residency requirement for school attendance.

A parent, guardian, or other person residing within the state and having custody or charge of a child may elect for the child not to attend kindergarten if the child will not be six (6) years of age on August 1 of that school year. If an election is made, the parent, guardian, or other person having custody or charge of the child shall file a signed kindergarten waiver form with the local school district administrative office. Upon the filing of the kindergarten waiver form, the child shall not be required to attend kindergarten in that school year.

 

Preparing for Kindergarten

Starting school is a big step. Make sure that step is in the right direction by helping children acquire the skills they need to be successful. The Arkansas School Readiness Committee has identified 38 indicators that will help get a child’s educational experiences off to a good start. This is simply a list of skills that will give you, as a parent or guardian, a place to begin in preparing your child for entering kindergarten. Studies have shown being ready to learn means a child will have a head start that will last a lifetime. 
 
Children entering school with a range of skills and knowledge tend to be more successful in school. While mastery of any or all of the skills identified here is not required for admission to kindergarten, the indicators can be used to help your children enter kindergarten with confidence.
 

For more information, please contact:

Tammie Cloyes, Program Manager
Arkansas Department of Education
Division of Learning Services
Four Capitol Mall, Room 306-B
Little Rock, AR 72201
Phone:  501-683-5300
Fax:  501-682-5136

Alphabetical List of Topics

Common Core