Kindergarten Frequently Asked Questions

All schools offer free full-day kindergarten to all eligible incoming students.

Registration is online. After finishing the online portion, you will be required to complete the registration process at your neighborhood school. Kindergarten registration begins February 1, 2024 and concludes February 29, 2024 so that we can accurately plan for staffing and other needs for the fall. [If you're reading this answer after February 29, 2024, please register your student as soon as possible.] Each neighborhood school has designated specific dates as to when kindergarten registration activities take place. This information is posted on the Kindergarten Registration webpage.

Yes, however, this set registration timeframe allows the school district to gather important enrollment data to help the Issaquah School District (ISD) determine staffing and classroom needs for the upcoming school year. Again, registration occurs at your neighborhood school.

Incoming kindergarten students must be at least 5 years old by August 31 in order to register for kindergarten.

No. However, students who will turn 5 by November 30, are eligible to apply for Early Entrance. The students must complete independent testing by a qualified assessor, meet district early entrance requirements, and eligibility confirmed by the Office of the Executive Directors of Elementary Education.

Immunization records, proof of birth date such as a copy of the birth certificate or passport, and proof of home address such as a purchase or lease agreement, an energy utility bill and photo I.D. of the parent/guardian are necessary for registration.

Students in full-day kindergarten follow the same schedule as grades 1 through 5 in their neighborhood school (or school of attendance). Bell times are available on your school's website.

Kindergartners follow the same schedule as other elementary students. Students spend the day learning academic and social skills with the order of the activities varied depending on their specialist and recess times.

Daily Schedule

Yes, full-day kindergarten students will ride the same bus as the other students attending their neighborhood school (or school of attendance).

Yes, half-day kindergarten students would attend for three hours in the morning. 

Half-day (morning only) kindergarten students will begin the day on the same bell schedule as all students attending their neighborhood school (or school of attendance). Students in the half-day session will attend for three hours in the morning.

Yes, half-day kindergarten students will ride the same bus in the morning as the other students in their neighborhood (or school of attendance). Midday transportation will not be provided by the district. Parents/guardians will be responsible for picking their child up at the end of the three-hour, half-day morning session.

The Before and After School Care (BASC) Program has sites at all 16 elementary schools. Parents can add their child’s name to our waiting list, and once a spot becomes available, they will be contacted by our office to register.

Before-school care begins at 6:30 a.m. and lasts until school starts. After-school care begins when school ends and lasts until 6:30 p.m. BASC does not provide care during school hours to students in the half-day kindergarten program. For more information, visit please visit the BASC website.

Parents add their child’s name to our waiting list, and once a spot becomes available, they will be contacted by the BASC office to register.

Club Connection is the Issaquah School District's break care and summer camp program operated by Before and After School Care (BASC). Club Connection is for children ages 5 to 11. The program is designed to provide unique enrichment opportunities that are structured around our participants' individual interests and capitalize on the special talents of our team members. Break care is provided to current BASC participants only; however, summer camp is open to any student entering first through sixth grade who lives in the ISD boundaries.

Some after-school activities at the elementary level may include student council, safety patrol, green team and/or choir. Outside companies also partner with our schools to offer clubs for a fee; these may include chess club, robotics, language classes, etc. The opportunities vary by building.

It is helpful when students arrive each day knowing whether they are eating a lunch they brought from home or ordering school lunch (and which entrée choice they would like from the Food Service menu). Students who bring lunch from home may purchase milk to go with their lunch if they would like.

Schools strive to ensure the safest possible environment for all students and Food Services is mindful of common food allergens on menus. Parents/guardians of students with food allergies are asked to utilize the Food Services digital menu to determine whether any of the eight most common allergens are present in any particular menu item. (Check the digital menu regularly, as manufacturers sometimes change product formulations). As parents and guardians of children with food allergies are aware, there is also the potential for hidden ingredients and potential contamination of food where it is prepared.

Some families have shared that if your student will be bringing lunch from home, it's helpful to have students practice opening containers and packages at home. We do have adults available to help, but it's also a great skill for students to develop!

Entrance to kindergarten in Washington state is based on age, not ability. Districts in Washington state participate in a slow start for incoming families that acknowledges the family's role as their child's first teacher and invites them to share the unique insights they have about their child. The Family Connection offers families an opportunity to get to know the teacher, share information about their child and ask questions prior to the first day of school.

The first three days of the school year for kindergarten students are different to support them and their learning. Instead of a regular school day, kindergartners and parents participate in kindergarten readiness activities and a get-to-know-you conference. 

Our goal is to have kindergarten classrooms with 22 or fewer students. This may vary slightly due to enrollment.