If your child will be turning five in time to start kindergarten in the fall, there are lots of question that you probably have.
Note: Michigan law for school start age has changed, and this might not be reflected in all of the documents available. Since the 2015-2016 year, the new permanent requirement is for kindergartners to be 5 years old by September 1st. There are some exceptions to this law, but you must register before June 1 to qualify for them.
Michigan Department of Education has a set of Transition to Kindergarten Parent Guides, tip sheets (reviewed and updated in 2013) which highlight a variety of questions parents may have when their children are entering kindergarten.
- These 24 guides are available in English, Spanish, and Arabic.
- Topics include registering, kindergarten readiness, disability-specific concerns, and home-school communication.
- The directory is a great place to start- English, Spanish, Arabic
More resources:
- Kindergarten Enrollment and Alternative Kindergarten Programs
- Saying Goodbye to Preschool and Hello to Kindergarten
- Easing the Transition from PreK to Kindergarten: What Schools and Families Can Do to Address Child Readiness
- My child in Special Education is transitioning from preschool to kindergarten
- Including Children With Special Needs: Every Child Belongs
- NEA Parent’s Guide to A Successful Kindergarten Transition
- Circle of Inclusion: Transition Checklist
- Ready for Success: Creating Collaborative and Thoughtful Transitions into Kindergarten
- Kindergarten Readiness Checklist
- NICHCY: 10 Basic Steps in Special Education
More Michigan Alliance for Families webpages related to other times of school transition:
Transition from Grade to Grade
Transition to a New School
Transition To Preschool
Transition to Kindergarten
Transition from Elementary to Middle School
Transition from Middle School to High School
Transition to Adulthood
Retention/Social Promotion
