§ 6-18-207 - Minimum age for enrollment in public school. - Arkansas Statutes

6-18-207. Minimum age for enrollment in public school.

(a) (1) (A) For the 2009-2010 school year, students may enter kindergarten in the public schools of this state if they will attain the age of five (5) years on or before September 1, 2009.

(B) For the 2010-2011 school year, students may enter kindergarten in the public schools of this state if they will attain the age of five (5) years on or before August 15, 2010.

(C) For the 2011-2012 school year and afterwards, students may enter kindergarten in the public schools of this state 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.

(2) Any student who has been enrolled in a state-accredited or state-approved kindergarten program in another state for at least sixty (60) days, who will become five (5) years old during the year in which he or she is enrolled in kindergarten, and who meets the basic residency requirement for school attendance may be enrolled in kindergarten upon written request to the school district.

(3) (A) Notwithstanding the age requirements in subdivision (a)(1) of this section, a public school or public school district shall allow a child to enroll in kindergarten if the child:

(i) Was enrolled in a state-approved prekindergarten program during the 2008-2009 school year;

(ii) Attended a state-approved prekindergarten program for at least one hundred (100) days during the 2008-2009 school year and each subsequent year in which he or she has been enrolled in a state-approved prekindergarten program; and

(iii) Will be at least five (5) years of age no later than September 15 during the year in which he or she enrolls in kindergarten.

(B) As used in this subdivision (a)(3), "state-approved prekindergarten program" means a prekindergarten program that is accredited and quality-approved by the Department of Human Services Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education.

(b) (1) Any child may enter the first grade in the public schools of this state if the child will attain the age of six (6) years during the school year in which the child is seeking enrollment and the child has successfully completed a kindergarten program in a public school in this state.

(2) Any child who will be six (6) years of age on or before October 1 of the school year of enrollment and who has not completed a state-accredited kindergarten program shall be enrolled pursuant to 6-18-201(f).

(3) Any child who has been enrolled in the first grade in a state-accredited or state-approved elementary school in another state for a period of at least sixty (60) days, who will become six (6) years of age during the school year in which the child is enrolled in grade one (1), and who meets the basic residency requirement for school attendance may be enrolled in the first grade.