2004 Legislation
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HOUSE BILL NO. 740 – Kindergarten, compulsory attendance

HOUSE BILL NO. 740

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Bill Status



H0740..........................................................by EDUCATION
KINDERGARTEN - Amends existing law to provide that school attendance is
compulsory between the ages of six and sixteen years; to provide that
school districts shall provide a kindergarten program; and to provide that
attendance in kindergarten is compulsory.
                                                                        
02/20    House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
02/23    Rpt prt - to Educ
02/26    Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
02/27    2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
03/03    3rd rdg - FAILED - 26-44-0
      AYES -- Andersen, Block, Boe, Bradford, Cannon, Cuddy, Douglas,
      Edmunson, Henbest, Jaquet, Jones, Langhorst, Martinez, Miller,
      Mitchell, Naccarato, Pasley-Stuart, Ridinger, Ringo, Robison, Sayler,
      Shepherd, Shirley, Smith(30), Smylie, Trail(Bennett)
      NAYS -- Barraclough, Barrett, Bauer, Bayer, Bedke, Bell, Black, Bolz,
      Campbell, Clark, Collins, Crow, Deal, Denney, Eberle, Ellsworth,
      Eskridge, Field(18), Field(23), Gagner, Garrett, Harwood, Kellogg,
      Kulczyk, Lake, Langford, McGeachin, McKague, Meyer, Moyle, Nielsen,
      Raybould, Ring, Roberts, Rydalch, Sali, Schaefer, Skippen, Smith(24),
      Snodgrass, Stevenson, Wills, Wood, Mr. Speaker
      Absent and excused -- None
    Floor Sponsor - Boe
    Filed in the Office of the Chief Clerk

Bill Text


                                                                        
                                                                        
  ]]]]              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ]]]]
 Fifty-seventh Legislature                 Second Regular Session - 2004
                                                                        
                                                                        
                              IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                                                                        
                                     HOUSE BILL NO. 740
                                                                        
                                   BY EDUCATION COMMITTEE
                                                                        
  1                                        AN ACT
  2    RELATING TO SCHOOL ATTENDANCE; AMENDING SECTION 33-202, IDAHO CODE, TO PROVIDE
  3        THAT SCHOOL ATTENDANCE IS COMPULSORY BETWEEN THE AGES OF SIX  AND  SIXTEEN
  4        YEARS;  AMENDING  SECTION  33-208, IDAHO CODE, TO PROVIDE THAT SCHOOL DIS-
  5        TRICTS SHALL PROVIDE A KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM AND THAT ATTENDANCE IN KINDER-
  6        GARTEN IS COMPULSORY; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
                                                                        
  7    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
                                                                        
  8        SECTION 1.  That Section 33-202, Idaho Code, be, and the  same  is  hereby
  9    amended to read as follows:
                                                                        
 10        33-202.  SCHOOL ATTENDANCE COMPULSORY. The parent or guardian of any child
 11    resident in this state who has attained the age of seven six (76) years at the
 12    time of the commencement of school in his district, but not the age of sixteen
 13    (16)  years,  shall  cause the child to be instructed in subjects commonly and
 14    usually taught in the public schools of the state of Idaho. Unless  the  child
 15    is  otherwise  comparably  instructed,  the parent or guardian shall cause the
 16    child to attend a public, private or parochial school during a period in  each
 17    year  equal  to that in which the public schools are in session; there to con-
 18    form to the attendance policies and regulations established by  the  board  of
 19    trustees, or other governing body, operating the school attended.
                                                                        
 20        SECTION  2.  That  Section  33-208, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby
 21    amended to read as follows:
                                                                        
 22        33-208.  KINDERGARTENS AND CHILD ATTENDANCE NOT COMPULSORY. It  shall  not
 23    be compulsory for individual school districts to establish a kindergarten pro-
 24    gram;  and  it  shall  not be mandatory for a child who is eligible by age for
 25    attendance to enroll in an established public, private or parochial kindergar-
 26    ten unless otherwise comparably instructed.
                                                                        
 27        SECTION 3.  This act shall be in full force and effect on and  after  July
 28    1, 2005.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact


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                       STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
                            RS 13927C1

     This legislation would require children "eligible by age" to
attend kindergarten at a public or private school "unless the
child is otherwise comparably instructed". This requirement would
reduce the number of children who show up for first grade with no
previous instruction and already behind their peers in reading
readiness and other first grade challenges.


                          FISCAL IMPACT

     The estimated number of kindergarten children effected would
be less than two hundred.  The Department of Education believes
that additional students can be accommodated without additional
funding.  Costs of remediation services should be reduced.


Contact
Name: Representative Donna Boe 
Phone: 332-1000




STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE                      H 740