According to Ohio law, children must turn five on or before the first day of school (SWCSD - August 19) to be eligible for kindergarten. However, under recent updates (HB 114), school districts may consider early admission for children who turn five between August 20, 2026 and January 1, 2027 based on district policy.
A child may be referred for early entrance evaluation by a parent or guardian, a district educator, a preschool educator familiar with the child, or a pediatrician or psychologist. Following the evaluation, the district determines whether early admission is appropriate.
If a child will not turn five by January 1, 2027 early entrance is only available through the district’s formal acceleration process in accordance with Ohio Revised Code 3324.10.
Applications are made available in May-June annually.
Early Entrance Application Process for 2026-2027
Families interested in requesting an early entrance assessment must complete the Early Entrance Application during one of the following application windows:
Application Window 1
Applications submitted between Friday, May 1, 2026, and Friday, May 29, 2026, will be scheduled to complete testing on:
Application Window 2
Applications submitted between Saturday, May 30, 2026, and Friday, July 31, 2026, will be scheduled to complete testing on:
To begin the process, families may complete the Early Entrance Application and submit it to:
South Western City Schools
Attn: Gifted Department
3805 Marlane Drive
Grove City, OH 43123
Families may also contact the Curriculum and Instruction Office at (614) 801-3164 with questions regarding the early entrance process.