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Arcadia Unified School District
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Arcadia Unified Enrollment Guide

Arcadia Unified School District (AUSD)

Grade Level Placement 2024-25 Grades TK-12

 

GRADE LEVEL PLACEMENT CRITERIA

 

Arcadia Unified School District

 

Minimum age requirement for school enrollment in Transitional Kindergarten:

As a result of legislation (SB 114) effective July 10, 2023, children will be admitted into a Transitional Kindergarten program at the beginning of the school year, or whenever they move into the district, if they will have their 5th birthday on or before June 2, 2025.

 

Birthdate Criteria Grade Level
Born after 06/02/20 Not eligible for enrollment
09/02/19 - 06/02/20 Transitional Kindergarten
09/02/18 - 09/01/19 Kindergarten
09/02/17 - 09/01/18 1
09/02/16 - 09/01/17 2
09/02/15 - 09/01/16 3
09/02/14 - 09/01/15 4
09/02/13 - 09/01/14 5
09/02/12 - 09/01/13 6
09/02/11 - 09/01/12 7
09/02/10 - 09/01/11 8
10/02/09 - 09/01/10 9
11/03/08 - 10/01/09 10
12/03/07 - 11/02/08 11
12/03/06 - 12/02/07 12

 

 

 

PROCESS FOR STUDENT ENROLLMENT. 

 

Chronological Age 

  1. Verify the student's birth date and age provided at the time of initial enrollment.
  2. Use the chart to identify the appropriate age range for each grade level.
  3. Specific guidelines for TK, K, and 1st: 
    1. Children born between September 2, 2019 and June 2, 2020 will be placed in the Transitional Kindergarten program.
    2. Minimum age requirement for Kinder: A child shall be admitted to a Kindergarten at the beginning of a school year, or at any later time in the same year if the child will have his or her fifth (5th) birthday on or before September 1st of that school year. (EC Section 48000; Kindergarten Readiness Bill 1381)
    3. A child shall be admitted to the first (1st) grade of an elementary school during the first month of a school year if the child will have his or her sixth (6th) birthday on or before September 1st of that school year. (EC Section 48010)
  4. Specific guidelines for the Secondary High School Level: (more detail on page 2)
    1. Any student who has reached her/his 15th birthday at the time of enrollment shall be considered for referral to the high school. Records review will determine final placement.
    2. No student shall be permitted to begin a school year after he/she has reached his/her 19th birthday unless the student’s active IEP states otherwise.
  5. All students will be enrolled in the appropriate grade level based solely on the student chronological age and the grade level placement criteria.  Decisions to change grade level placement are made by the Director of Educational Services and the school principal.

Academic Records and Prior Educational Experience to Determine Placement*

  1. Carefully review previous academic records. They can include, but are not limited to: 
    1. Grade reports and/or enrollment records  
    2. Official Transcripts
  2. Follow the standard practice of reciprocity between other California districts if grade placement is within the appropriate age range and in correspondence with the current school calendar year. When a child has been legally enrolled in a public school of another district within or out of the state, he or she may be admitted to a school and placed in the grade of enrollment in the district of former attendance, at the discretion of the school administration of the district entered. (EC Section 48011)
  3. If the grade of enrollment in the previous school does not correspond as mentioned above, place by age and reserve the right to make necessary grade level adjustments within the first 30 days of the child’s participation in the instructional programs at the site. (Administrative Regulation 5123: Promotion/Acceleration/Retention) 

* If a question about appropriate grade level placement cannot be resolved, the Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services will have the final decision-making authority. SPECIFIC GUIDELINES FOR PLACEMENT OF NEW HIGH SCHOOL ENROLLEES 

 

Chronological Age 

  1. All Students with or without academic records are placed by age in the appropriate grade level. 
  2. Use the chart to identify the appropriate age range for each grade level.
  3. Any student who is 18 and cannot graduate by June may be referred to Rancho Learning Center, or the Community College System. 
  4. Changes to chronological age grade level placement are made by district administration, principal, and/or school counseling staff.

 

Academic Records and Prior Educational Experience to determine placement* 

 

  1. Students shall be entitled to only four consecutive academic years (eight semesters) of combined high school experience. 
  2. Academic records indicating the appropriate years of middle school and/or years of high school are used to determine grade and program placement at the discretion of the district pursuant to education code and academic standards. 
  3. Review official transcripts, carefully considering total credits earned and alignment to graduation requirements. The district will determine credit transferability for schools in a foreign country. 
  4. Students who enroll in AUSD at the beginning of the first semester of an AUSD school year, having completed one semester of a grade in a foreign country, shall be enrolled according to age, records and off-cycle placement determination. 
  5. Students, who enroll in AUSD at the beginning of the second semester of an AUSD school year, having just completed a full school year in a foreign country, shall be enrolled according to age, records and off-cycle placement determination. 
  6. At the discretion of school/district administration, students who enroll at the end of a semester may be placed in a recommended district transitional or alternative program for the remainder of the semester. The students shall then be placed in the appropriate grade level, based on the above criteria, for the following fall semester without loss of any of their four-year entitlement.
  7. Students missing a semester or less are encouraged to develop a plan to meet all graduation requirements in the normal four-year time span. In some cases, this may require summer school.

* If a question about appropriate grade level placement cannot be resolved, the Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services will have the final decision-making authority.

 

SCHOOL PLACEMENT: 

 

When enrolling in the district the registrar will first attempt to place students at the same school in which siblings are attending.  Although the district has established attendance areas, it is not always possible to enroll all students in the attendance area nearest to the home.  In situations where the designated school is at capacity in a particular grade level, it may be necessary to place a student in a different AUSD school.  School enrollment imbalances do happen and in these cases, the registrar will try to place a student in a school closest to the student’s home. Students who attend a school outside their attendance area may be eligible for transportation services in accordance with Governing Board policy.  If, after being placed in a different school, an opening becomes available, the registrar will utilize the following criteria to offer the available space:

  1. Students with a sibling at the school
  2. Special circumstances based on the family’s situation
  3. The order in which a student was “overflowed” to a different school

 

After the first 45 days of school, the district may choose to not move students.  All decisions after the first 45 days will be made on a case-by-case basis with consideration being given to the best interests of all students concerned.

 

All students who were “overflowed” to a different school will be provided the choice to return to their school of residence or to remain at their current school.  If the decision to remain is made, that school will become the student’s “home” school.  Any future school placement changes must follow district policy.

 

 

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

Q My child will turn five years old on September 2 and I want him to go to Kindergarten … can he? 

 

A No, AUSD follows State Ed Code and your child must turn five years old on or before September 1, of the school year of enrollment, to enroll in Kindergarten. Your child is eligible to attend Transitional Kindergarten, since his/her fifth birthdate is between September 2nd and in:

2021-22 by December 2nd 

2022-23 by February 2nd

2023-24 by April 2nd

2024-25 by June 2nd

2025-26 All children who will have their 4th birthday by September 1st

 

Q My child will turn five years old on August 30th, but I don’t want to send him to Kindergarten yet … can I enroll him in Transitional Kindergarten? 

 

A No, Transitional Kindergarten is only for students whose fifth birthdate falls between September 2nd and June 2nd. Your child will be placed in Kindergarten.

 

Q We just moved from overseas and my child is age-appropriate for 3rd grade, but he did not finish 2nd grade at our school overseas … can I enroll my child in 2nd grade? 

 

A Possibly, AUSD will normally enroll your child in 3rd grade.  However, the district will look at enrolling your child in a different grade level other than the grade they are age-appropriate for based on the academic information available to assess. You are also welcome to talk to the principal at your child’s school site regarding placement questions you may have. 

 

Q We just moved from out-of-state/overseas and my child is age-appropriate for 6th grade, but she was in 8th grade in our city/country … what grade level will my child be enrolled in? 

 

A AUSD will normally enroll your child in 6th grade.  However, the district will look at enrolling your child in a different grade level other than the grade they are age-appropriate for based on the academic information available to assess. You are welcome to talk to the principal at your child’s school site regarding placement questions you may have. 

 

Q We just moved from northern California and my child is age-appropriate for 9th grade, but she is currently completing 8th grade in public school… what grade level will my child be enrolled in? 


A Your child will be enrolled in 8th grade and will be placed in 9th grade next year.