Parents of children entering kindergarten in the fall are facing a new state law as of the 2024-25 school year that moved the cutoff date. According to Public Act No. 23-208, children must be 5 years old on or before Sept. 1 to start kindergarten. The previous cutoff date was Jan. 1. The change brings Connecticut in line with most school districts around the country.

The new law also allows a parent or guardian to appeal for a waiver if their child does not meet the cutoff date. The law specifies that a parent can make a written request to the principal of the school in which the child would be enrolled. After an assessment by the principal and a certified staff member, a determination will be made as to whether admitting the child is developmentally appropriate.

Parents of children in Easton, Redding or Region 9 (ER9) schools seeking a waiver are asked to consider their child’s readiness for kindergarten based on the child’s social and emotional learning, language and math skills. The district mailed a kindergarten readiness milestones list to parents whose child’s birthday falls between Sept. 2 and Dec. 31, 2024.

The district is hosting an information session at Samuel Staples Elementary School on March 25 at 6 p.m. to help parents learn what their child needs to know for kindergarten, meet the school staff and receive registration packets. Typically, parents enroll their children in kindergarten during the month of March.

Staples Principal Kimberly Fox-Santora said the school has received five waivers to date. She said there are cases in which delaying kindergarten might be a good idea.

“Teachers assess all of the time, and students born in the late fall and early winter are being compared with students who are nine to 10 months older than themselves,” said Fox-Santora. “These internal assessments are to determine if a student’s slow growth rate is based on developmental readiness. There is a benefit to waiting an extra year. As students mature, their interest in learning grows and their coping skills blossom.”

Principal Melissa Labrosciano of Redding Elementary School encourages parents to reach out to the school administrative office for ER9 should they have questions throughout the process.

“You may find additional information on our Redding Elementary School website,” said Labrosciano.

It’s uncertain how the new cutoff date will affect Easton’s kindergarten enrollment in the fall. The district projected 100 children will enroll for kindergarten, but it’s unknown if all 100 students will be registered for the 2024–25 school year.

The new state law does not provide school districts with a uniform assessment, so ER9 is asking parents to consider their child’s individual readiness for kindergarten using developmental guidance provided through the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood, the Connecticut State Department of Education, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.