All testing for Early Admission to Kindergarten is typically completed by June 1, depending on the number of applicants and appointments. After the assessment window, each applicant’s academic assessment results and developmental checklists will be scored to determine eligibility. Decision letters will be mailed to each applicant via U.S. mail at the same time, and no result will be shared over the phone. This typically occurs in mid-June. Timelines specific to each applicant cohort are shared with families via email and on the HCPSS website. 

No. Each applicant who meets the standardized criteria will be accepted.

Each applicant who meets the standardized criteria will be accepted. While the acceptance rate varies year to year, an average of 20% of applicants are accepted yearly.

No. In alignment with assessment procedures in the school setting, families may not join their child in the assessment room. The family member accompanying the child can wait directly outside the assessment room or in the lobby. The assessor wants your child to be as comfortable as possible, so please explain to your child that they will be working with a new teacher before the assessment.

No. In alignment with assessment procedures in the school setting, the performance assessment is secure and will not be provided to applicants before the appointment. Children who have mastered the assessed skills will be able to demonstrate them during the evaluation; the assessor will model or demonstrate specific task expectations as appropriate. 

Your child will be assessed by an experienced early childhood teacher who has completed all requirements for employment in the Howard County Public School System. All assessors are current or retired teachers with classroom experience and certification in Early Childhood Education. Additionally, all assessors complete training and annual calibration to ensure consistency of delivery and implementation. 

The performance assessment will take approximately 45-60 minutes, including breaks; however, the actual length of assessment time may vary. The time it takes to administer the assessment is not factored into the Early Admission to Kindergarten decision.

Assessment measures include observational data and performance measures. Assessment measures align with the approved Maryland State Standards and Frameworks for PK4 and are designed to predict a child’s readiness and success if admitted early to kindergarten. 

Each applicant is assessed in a standardized manner using the same criteria to evaluate readiness. In accordance with Howard County Public School System’s Policy 9000, students admitted early to kindergarten must demonstrate an exceptionally high degree of skills and readiness to begin kindergarten a full year before the state-established age of entry (i.e., five by September 1).

No. In Maryland, children must be 5 years old by September 1 to enroll in kindergarten. The Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) Early Admission to Kindergarten process is limited to children who are born within a six-week window of the cutoff date, specifically September 2 - October 13, inclusive.