Vetoed by Governor Gavin Newsom

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires schools to offer a full-day kindergarten program.

Highlights:

• Authorizes early primary programs to hold kindergarten school days that exceed 4 hours prior to the 2022-2023 school year (Sec. 2).

• Requires each school that offers an early primary program to implement at least one full-day kindergarten program beginning with the 2022-2023 school year (Sec. 3).

• Defines “full-day kindergarten” as instruction provided for the same number of minutes per school day that is offered to pupils in first grade (Sec. 3). 

• Specifies that a school may be exempt from the full-day requirement if a lack of school facilities requires double sessions, in which case the minimum school day length for kindergarten is 180 minutes (Sec. 6). 

• Authorizes school boards in districts with less than 40 students enrolled in kindergarten classes to apply to the superintendent to maintain 2 classes of 150 minutes each until the 2022-2023 school year (Sec. 10).

Full Bill Text