Signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with House amendments and pass a bill that increases the age requirement for admitting children to kindergarten and first grade.

Highlights:

• Amends the age requirement for children to be admitted into kindergarten as follows (Sec. 3):
• Existing law: if the child will have his or her fifth birthday on or before December 2 of that school year; and
• New law:
• For the 2011-2012 school year, if the child will have his or her fifth birthday on or before December 2 of that school year;
• For the 2012-2013 school year, if the child will have his or her fifth birthday on or before November 1 of that school year;
• For the 2013-2014 school year, if the child will have his or her fifth birthday on or before October 1 of that school year; and
• For the 2014-2015 school year and each school year thereafter, if the child will have his or her fifth birthday on or before September 1 of that school year.

• Retains an existing authorization for children to be admitted on a case-by-case basis if they have or will attain the age of 5 sometime during the school year and the governing board and the child's parent or guardian both agree that admission is in the best interest of the child (Sec. 3).

• Requires school districts or charter schools to admit children to a transitional kindergarten program that uses a modified kindergarten curriculum that is "age and developmentally appropriate" as part of a 2 year kindergarten program if the child meets the following age requirements (Sec. 3):
• For the 2012-2013 school year, if the child will have his or her fifth birthday between November 2 and December 2 of that school year;
• For the 2013-2014 school year, if the child will have his or her fifth birthday between October 2 and December 2 of that school year; and
• For the 2014-2015 school year and each school year thereafter, if the child will have his or her fifth birthday between September 2 and December 2 of that school year.

• Amends the age requirement for children to be admitted into first grade as follows (Sec. 3):
• -Existing law: if the child will have his or her sixth birthday on or before December 2 of that school year; and -New law:
• For the 2011-2012 school year, if the child will have his or her sixth birthday on or before December 2 of that school year;
• For the 2012-2013 school year, if the child will have his or her sixth birthday on or before November 1 of that school year;
• For the 2013-2014 school year, if the child will have his or her sixth birthday on or before October 1 of that school year; and
• For the 2014-2015 school year and each school year thereafter, if the child will have his or her sixth birthday on or before September 1 of that school year.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that increases the age requirement for admitting children to kindergarten and first grade.

Highlights:

• Amends the age requirement for children to be admitted into kindergarten as follows (Sec. 3):
• Existing law: if the child will have his or her fifth birthday on or before December 2 of that school year; and
• New law:
• For the 2011-2012 school year, if the child will have his or her fifth birthday on or before December 2 of that school year;
• For the 2012-2013 school year, if the child will have his or her fifth birthday on or before November 1 of that school year;
• For the 2013-2014 school year, if the child will have his or her fifth birthday on or before October 1 of that school year; and
• For the 2014-2015 school year and each school year thereafter, if the child will have his or her fifth birthday on or before September 1 of that school year.

• Retains an existing authorization for children to be admitted on a case-by-case basis if they have or will attain the age of 5 sometime during the school year and the governing board and the child's parent or guardian both agree that admission is in the best interest of the child (Sec. 3).

• Requires school districts or charter schools to admit children to a transitional kindergarten program that uses a modified kindergarten curriculum that is "age and developmentally appropriate" as part of a 2 year kindergarten program if the child meets the following age requirements (Sec. 3):
• For the 2012-2013 school year, if the child will have his or her fifth birthday between November 2 and December 2 of that school year;
• For the 2013-2014 school year, if the child will have his or her fifth birthday between October 2 and December 2 of that school year; and
• For the 2014-2015 school year and each school year thereafter, if the child will have his or her fifth birthday between September 2 and December 2 of that school year.

• Amends the age requirement for children to be admitted into first grade as follows (Sec. 3):
• -Existing law: if the child will have his or her sixth birthday on or before December 2 of that school year; and -New law:
• For the 2011-2012 school year, if the child will have his or her sixth birthday on or before December 2 of that school year;
• For the 2012-2013 school year, if the child will have his or her sixth birthday on or before November 1 of that school year;
• For the 2013-2014 school year, if the child will have his or her sixth birthday on or before October 1 of that school year; and
• For the 2014-2015 school year and each school year thereafter, if the child will have his or her sixth birthday on or before September 1 of that school year.

Full Bill Text