May a child be retained in prekindergarten?

Pursuant to OK §70-1-114 prekindergarten is intended for four-year-old students and not considered a proper placement for five-year-old or older on September 1. Given the intent of the law, if we enroll a five-year-old student in the prekindergarten program, the student may become ineligible to be included in Average Daily Attendance (ADA) and thus cause Yukon Public Schools to jeopardize and/or not receive funding that would normally be allocated to Yukon Public Schools for the respective student’s enrollment. Reference: OK §70-1-114. (Section 14 of the Oklahoma School Code) All children who are at least four (4) years of age but not more than five (5) years of age on or before September 1 and who have not attended a public school kindergarten shall be entitled to attend half-day or full-day early childhood programs at any public school in the state where such programs are offered; provided no child shall be required to attend any early childhood education program. The following paragraphs shall govern admission to and eligibility for early childhood programs:. Children who are at least four (4) years of age but not more than five (5) years of age on or before September 1 shall be entitled to attend either half-day or full-day early childhood programs in their district of residence free of charge as long as the district has the physical facilities and teaching personnel to accommodate the child. For purposes of calculation of State Aid, children in an early childhood education program shall be included in the average daily membership of the district providing the program.. A child who has not reached the age of five (5) years on or before September 1 and who resides in a district which does not offer an early childhood program shall be eligible for transfer to a district where an early childhood program is offered if the district that offers the early childhood program agrees to the transfer. A district offering early childhood programs may refuse to accept a nonresident child if the district does not have the physical facilities or teaching personnel to accommodate the child in an early childhood education class. If the child requesting the transfer has not reached the age of four (4) years on or before September 1, the district may refuse to accept the nonresident child if the district determines the child is not ready for an early childhood program. Children who are accepted in a program outside their district of residence as provided in this paragraph shall be included in the average daily membership of the district providing the program for State Aid funding subject to the State Aid formula weight limitations set forth in paragraph 1 of this subsection.. No child shall be enrolled in Kindergarten unless he or she will have reached the age of five (5) years on or before September 1 of the school year. No child shall be enrolled in the first grade unless he or she will have reached the age of six (6) years on or before September 1 of the school year.. The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules that create exemptions relating to the maximum age at which a child may attend half-day or full-day early childhood programs..