View Daily Data Tracking History
View Bill Text
View Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact
H0293..........................................................by EDUCATION
SCHOOL AGE - Amends existing law to authorize a series of development and
readiness instruments to assess exceptional talent and abilities that
warrant admission to kindergarten or first grade at an early age.
02/20 House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
02/21 Rpt prt - to Educ
|||| LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO ||||
Fifty-sixth Legislature First Regular Session - 2001
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
HOUSE BILL NO. 293
BY EDUCATION COMMITTEE
1 AN ACT
2 RELATING TO SCHOOL AGE; AMENDING SECTION 33-201, IDAHO CODE, TO AUTHORIZE A
3 SERIES OF DEVELOPMENT AND READINESS INSTRUMENTS TO ASSESS EXCEPTIONAL TAL-
4 ENT AND ABILITIES THAT WARRANT ADMISSION TO KINDERGARTEN OR FIRST GRADE.
5 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
6 SECTION 1. That Section 33-201, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby
7 amended to read as follows:
8 33-201. SCHOOL AGE. The services of the public schools of this state are
9 extended to any acceptable person of school age. "School age" is defined as
10 including all persons resident of the state, between the ages of five (5) and
11 twenty-one (21) years. For the purposes of this section, the age of five (5)
12 years shall be attained when the fifth anniversary of birth occurs on or
13 before the first day of September of the school year in which the child is to
14 enroll in kindergarten, except children who by reason of special talents or
15 abilities as determined by a series of development and readiness screening
16 instruments approved by the state department of education and administered by
17 the school district, may start at a younger age. However, under no circum-
18 stances may a child start kindergarten that school year if he will not attain
19 the age of five (5) years by the first day of January. For a child enrolling
20 in the first grade, the age of six (6) years must be reached on or before the
21 first day of September of the school year in which the child is to enroll in
22 first grade, except children who by reason of special talents or abilities as
23 determined by a series of development and readiness screening instruments
24 approved by the state department of education and administered by the school
25 district, or who have completed kindergarten in an approved kindergarten, may
26 start at a younger age. However, under no circumstances may a child enroll in
27 the first grade who will not attain the age of six (6) years by the first day
28 of January. Any child of the age of five (5) years who has completed a private
29 or public out-of-state kindergarten for the required four hundred fifty (450)
30 hours but has not reached the "school age" requirement in Idaho shall be
31 allowed to enter the first grade.
32 For resident children with disabilities who qualify for special education
33 and related services under the federal individuals with disabilities education
34 act (IDEA) and subsequent amendments thereto, and applicable state and federal
35 regulations, "school age" shall begin at the attainment of age three (3) and
36 shall continue through the semester of school in which the student attains the
37 age of twenty-one (21) years.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
RS 10847
This legislation is intended to provide an amendment to Section
33-201, Idaho Code to allow for parents of children who attain
5/6 years of age between September 1 and December 31 be permitted
to petition their local school board for admission of their child
to Kindergarten/First grade without meeting the Sept 1 age
deadline.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no anticipated cost to the state general fund.
Contact
Name: Representative Gary Young
Phone: 332 1218
Chris Storhok
Phone: 883 7214
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE H 29