Louisiana Administrative Code
Title 28 - EDUCATION
Part CXV - Bulletin 741-Louisiana Handbook for School Administrators
Chapter 11 - Student Services
Section CXV-1111 - Age Requirements

Universal Citation: LA Admin Code CXV-1111

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024

A. Special education shall be provided for exceptional students aged 3-21, unless they have received a diploma. The LEA shall have the option to provide preschool special education to students with disabilities aged 0-2 years.

B. Each LEA shall provide for and offer full-day kindergarten instruction to each eligible child in every school having a first grade or in a parish kindergarten center.

C. The minimum age for kindergarten shall be one year younger than the age required for that child to enter first grade.

1. Each local educational governing authority, by rule, may provide, for a child of younger age, to enter kindergarten provided that such child has been evaluated and identified as gifted in accordance with the regulations of the DOE for such evaluation. Any child admitted to kindergarten pursuant to this Paragraph shall be eligible to enter first grade upon successful completion of kindergarten, provided all other applicable entrance requirements have been fulfilled.

2. Any child transferring into the first grade of a public school from out-of-state and not meeting the requirements herein for kindergarten attendance, shall be required to satisfactorily pass an academic readiness screening administered by the LEA prior to the time of enrollment for the first grade.

3. Any child not able to meet the kindergarten attendance requirements of this Section due to illness or extraordinary, extenuating circumstances as determined by the local educational governing authority, shall be required to satisfactorily pass an academic readiness screening administered by the LEA prior to the time of enrollment for the first grade.

4. For the 2021-2022 school year, every parent, tutor, or other person having control or charge of a child who is eligible to attend full-day kindergarten, as a prerequisite to enrollment in any first grade of a public school, shall:
a. send such child to attend public or nonpublic fullday kindergarten for a full school year; or

b. ensure that such child has been administered and has satisfactorily passed an academic readiness screening prior to the time established for the child to enter first grade;

c. each city, parish, or other local public school board shall establish the academic readiness level for entry into the first grade.

5. Beginning with 2022-2023 school year, every parent, tutor, or other person having control or charge of a child who is eligible to attend full-day kindergarten, as a prerequisite to enrollment in the first grade of a public school, shall:
a. send such child to attend a public or nonpublic full-day kindergarten for a full school year; and

b. ensure that such child has been administered and has satisfactorily passed an academic readiness screening administered by the LEA prior to the time of enrollment in the first grade;

c. each city, parish, or other local public school board shall establish the academic readiness level for entry into the first grade.

6. A parent or legal guardian may opt to defer enrollment of a child into kindergarten for one year under the following conditions:
a. The child is four years of age on the first day of the school year; or

b. The child is enrolled in a prekindergarten program.

7. A parent or legal guardian who opts to defer enrollment into kindergarten for one year shall be considered in compliance with the compulsory school attendance law.

D. The age at which a child may enter the first grade of any public school at the beginning of the public school session shall be six years on or before September 30 of the calendar year in which the school year begins.

1. Any local educational governing authority in a parish having a population of at least 450,000 may adopt, by rule, and enforce ages for entrance into first grade in the schools in its system which vary from the provisions of this Section. All children admitted into school as a result of a rule adopted pursuant to such a rule shall be counted in reports submitted for funding under the MFP and money allocated pursuant to such program shall be based on the report which includes such children.

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 17:151.3 and R.S. 17:222.

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