Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to amend and pass a bill that amends the minimum age to enroll in kindergarten, effective August 1, 2021.

Highlights:

• Requires the board of trustees in each school district to establish a process in policy to approve or deny requests made by a pupil’s parent or guardian based on the pupil’s kindergarten readiness assessment score to assess whether the pupil is sufficiently mature to be admitted to the applicable grade (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes a pupil to register in kindergarten in a public school in the year in which their fifth birthday falls on or before August 1, or September 15 if pursuant to an approved request (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes a pupil to register in the first grade in a public school in the year in which their sixth birthday falls on or before August 1, or September 15 if the child started kindergarten pursuant to an approved request (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes the board of trustees of a school district to establish a minimum attendance age for a part-time preschool program, but a pupil must have attained at least their third birthday on or before August 1 of the year in which that pupil enrolls (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that the change in the age requirement for registering in the first grade will not apply to students who were registered to attend kindergarten in public school during the 2020-2021 school year (Sec. 2).

Full Bill Text