Moving to the Treasure Valley with a child about to start kindergarten? The calendar may be the first thing to understand, because Idaho kindergarten registration opens months before the school year begins, and each district runs its own window. Here is the sourced timeline we walk relocating families through, plus the document list to gather before you leave Oregon or Washington.
What is the kindergarten age cutoff in Idaho?
Statewide, a child must be five years old on or before September 1 of the school year they enroll (Idaho Code § 33-201). That rule applies in every Treasure Valley district, so a child who turns five on September 1 is in, and a child born on September 2 typically starts the following year. It is the single most important date to check before you plan a move around a school start.
When does Boise School District open registration?
Boise School District runs a district-wide kindergarten registration day each spring, with online registration opening a month earlier. For the 2026-27 school year, online registration opened February 1, 2026, and in-person registration was held March 5, 2026 at every elementary school (Boise School District kindergarten registration). The events are always held in the spring for the following fall, so a family planning a summer move should watch for the district's announcement in January or February.
When does West Ada open registration?
West Ada, the district covering Meridian, Eagle, and most of Star, holds in-person kindergarten enrollment events at its elementary schools in late March and early April, with an online pre-enrollment form due before your school's event. For the 2026-27 school year, the district's in-person enrollment week ran March 30 through April 3, 2026, after online pre-enrollment opened at register.westada.org (West Ada School District). Individual schools set their own dates and times, so bookmark your boundary school's calendar.
What about Nampa and the rest of Canyon County?
Nampa School District opened online registration for 2026-27 on April 20, 2026, at nsd131.org/enroll, with in-person help at neighborhood schools continuing into the summer (Nampa School District). Vallivue, Caldwell, Kuna, and Middleton each run their own calendars, and all of them use spring windows for a fall start. Whenever you see a date, confirm it on the district's own website, because the schedule is announced fresh every year.
What documents do we need to register?
The list is nearly identical across districts: a certified birth certificate or passport, up-to-date immunization records, and proof of residency such as a current utility bill, lease, or mortgage statement. West Ada's required immunizations are 5 DTaP, 4 polio, 2 MMR, 3 hepatitis B, 2 hepatitis A, and 2 varicella doses (West Ada School District). Ask your current pediatrician in Oregon or Washington for the complete record before you list your house, because it is far easier to gather on your side of the state line.
What if we move mid-year instead?
Idaho law lets you enroll a child at any time during the school year (Idaho Code § 33-1402), so a January or February move does not mean waiting until fall. Bring the same documents, and know that a first-time enrollee has 30 days to provide proof of age or identity (Idaho Code § 18-4511); schools should not turn a family away while records are being gathered. One honest note: boundaries can split a single street, so verify the assigned school for your exact address before you choose a rental or make an offer.
How should a relocating family time the whole thing?
If you are moving in summer for a fall start, treat the spring registration window as part of your moving plan, not an afterthought. If you will not have an Idaho address by February or March, ask the district you are targeting how they handle out-of-area families, and keep the required documents with your moving files so registration week becomes a short errand instead of a scramble. We help families with this timing question in every town in the valley, so ask us and we will lay out the calendar for your specific district.
The takeaway: the age cutoff is September 1, the registration windows run February through April depending on the district, and the document list is short if you plan for it. Confirm the current dates on the district website, then ask us about the town, the boundary, and the school year ahead.
Verify before you rely
Kindergarten age cutoff follows Idaho Code § 33-201 (a child must be five on or before September 1 of the enrollment year). Registration windows named here are the districts' published 2026-27 schedules: Boise School District (online registration opened February 1, 2026; in-person kindergarten registration March 5, 2026), West Ada School District (in-person kindergarten enrollment week of March 30 through April 3, 2026, with online pre-enrollment at register.westada.org), and Nampa School District (registration opened April 20, 2026, at nsd131.org). Mid-year enrollment is permitted at any time under Idaho Code § 33-1402, with proof of age or identity due within 30 days of first-time enrollment per Idaho Code § 18-4511. Districts set fresh dates each year, so confirm the current schedule on each district's website before you plan your move.
Paul Knighton & Tina DeBoer
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