Kindergarten enrollment underway in Hawaii

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Kindergarten enrollment is underway at schools statewide for the upcoming school year, which starts August 1.

Children must be 5 by July 31 to enter kindergarten. Those who turn 5 on August 1 or later must enroll the following year.

Kindergarten is mandatory in the islands. In the 2015-16 school year, there were nearly 14,000 kindergartners enrolled in public schools statewide.

"We encourage our parents to familiarize themselves with kindergarten requirements and to enroll their children early," said schools Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi, in a news release. "Kindergarten is a critical time to give our keiki the solid academic foundation they need for future success."

Parents of children too young to attend kindergarten in the upcoming school year are urged to look into other educational options, including pre-kindergarten classes offered at some public schools.

For more information on kindergarten enrollment, click here.