Kindergarten & 1st Grade Registration Age Letter

Community Partners,

We would like to clarify the current policy re. age of registration for Kindergarten and First Grade. According to the Georgia Department of Education, “a child must be five years old on or before September 1 to enter a public Kindergarten. The child must be six years old on or before September 1 to enter first grade. School systems must verify age before enrollment”. This process has not changed from previous years.

During last week’s Atlanta Public Schools Kindergarten registration, a few families may not have been able to register their children for the grade of their choice. We have since clarified the enrollment process and apologize for the confusion it caused. While the Georgia Department of Education’s policy is clear about program entry birthdates, enrollment has always been made on an individual basis.

While enrollment cannot be based on parent preference alone, the enrolling schools take into consideration input provided by pre-kindergarten programs and placement determinations that are in the best interest of each student. North Atlanta principals are working together to devise an objective and meaningful tool for assessing grade placement of 5 and 6 year olds that will offer consistency across the Cluster.

We truly appreciate your support and partnership in the education of our children. Our goal is to service the needs of our community and to remain a viable option for the education of the students. If you or any of your parents have any questions and/or are unclear of the registration process, we ask that they call the schools for clarification. We will gladly answer any questions they may have.

Thank you,

North Atlanta Cluster Principals