When to register

Children must be five years old on or before September 1 to be enrolled in kindergarten.

If the child's birthday is between Sept. 2 and Sept. 14, the child qualifies for testing. If the child meets the qualifications for free/reduced meals, the district will cover the cost for the test. If the child does not qualify for free/reduced meals, the parent must pay to have a licensed psychologist do the test.

If a family is moving into the district from another state and the child is not yet five, but was enrolled in a public school where they came from, then the child can be enrolled at an ASD school. Being enrolled in any other kind of school in Anchorage (private, parochial, etc.) does not qualify a child to be enrolled here and he/she will need to meet the age criteria. 

Required documents

In addition to the  documents required for all students, parents should also bring:

• Names and phone numbers of emergency contacts and individuals who may pick up the child from school
• Copies of legal papers if there is a custody situation

Orientation

After registration, schools will contact families to arrange appointments for orientations. Kindergarten teachers will meet individually with parents and students for a brief welcome with assessment activities during the first week of school. Kindergarten and first grade classes start a week later than the rest of the district in order to accommodate these family meetings. This information assists teachers in making decisions about classroom instruction and helps establish a positive partnership between the home and the school.