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S1241..........................................................by SCHROEDER
PREKINDERGARTEN - Adds to existing law to provide a minimum age requirement
for attendance in prekindergarten in school districts which conduct
prekindergarten.
01/10 Senate intro - 1st rdg - to printing
01/11 Rpt prt - to Educ
03/03 Rpt out - to 14th Ord
]]]] LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO ]]]]
Fifty-eighth Legislature Second Regular Session - 2006
IN THE SENATE
SENATE BILL NO. 1241
BY SCHROEDER
1 AN ACT
2 RELATING TO PREKINDERGARTEN SCHOOL AGE; AMENDING SECTION 33-201, IDAHO CODE,
3 TO PROVIDE A MINIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT FOR ATTENDANCE IN PREKINDERGARTEN IN
4 SCHOOL DISTRICTS WHICH CONDUCT PREKINDERGARTEN AND TO MAKE A TECHNICAL
5 CORRECTION.
6 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
7 SECTION 1. That Section 33-201, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby
8 amended to read as follows:
9 33-201. SCHOOL AGE. The services of the public schools of this state are
10 extended to any acceptable person of school age. "School age" is defined as
11 including all persons resident of the state, between the ages of five (5) and
12 twenty-one (21) years. For the purposes of this section, the age of five (5)
13 years shall be attained when the fifth anniversary of birth occurs on or
14 before the first day of September of the school year in which the child is to
15 enroll in kindergarten. For a child enrolling in the first grade, the age of
16 six (6) years must be reached on or before the first day of September of the
17 school year in which the child is to enroll. Any child of the age of five (5)
18 years who has completed a private or public out-of-state kindergarten for the
19 required four hundred fifty (450) hours but has not reached the "school age"
20 requirement in Idaho shall be allowed to enter the first grade.
21 For resident children with disabilities who qualify for special education
22 and related services under the federal individuals with disabilities education
23 act (IDEA) and subsequent amendments thereto, and applicable state and federal
24 regulations, "school age" shall begin at the attainment of age three (3) years
25 and shall continue through the semester of school in which the student attains
26 the age of twenty-one (21) years. For a school district which conducts a
27 prekindergarten program, "school age" shall begin at the attainment of the age
28 of four (4) years.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
RS 15534
The purpose of this legislation is to provide a minimum age
requirement for attendance in prekindergarten in the districts
which conduct prekindergarten. This legislation does not require
districts to have prekindergarten. This legislation provides
language to legally allow 4 year olds to participate in
prekindergarten programs in public schools. Some schools are
already doing this and paying for the programs with private
funds.
FISCAL NOTE
There is no fiscal impact to the General Fund since there is no
funding mechanism to fund prekindergarten programs from State
funds. Some districts have acquired private or local funds to
fund these programs.
Contact
Name: Senator Gary J. Schroeder
Phone: 208-332-1323
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE S 1241