2006 Legislation
Print Friendly

SENATE BILL NO. 1344 – School dist services, child under 5

SENATE BILL NO. 1344

View Bill Status

View Bill Text

View Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact



Text to be added within a bill has been marked with Bold and
Underline. Text to be removed has been marked with
Strikethrough and Italic. How these codes are actually displayed will
vary based on the browser software you are using.

This sentence is marked with bold and underline to show added text.

This sentence is marked with strikethrough and italic, indicating
text to be removed.

Bill Status



S1344..........................................................by EDUCATION
SCHOOL DISTRICTS - Amends existing law to provide that school districts may
offer services to children under the minimum school age of five years; and
to specify conditions and limitations.
                                                                        
02/02    Senate intro - 1st rdg - to printing
02/03    Rpt prt - to Educ

Bill Text


                                                                        
                                                                        
  ]]]]              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ]]]]
 Fifty-eighth Legislature                   Second Regular Session - 2006
                                                                        
                                                                        
                                       IN THE SENATE
                                                                        
                                    SENATE BILL NO. 1344
                                                                        
                                   BY EDUCATION COMMITTEE
                                                                        
  1                                        AN ACT
  2    RELATING TO SCHOOL AGE; AMENDING SECTION 33-201, IDAHO CODE, TO  PROVIDE  THAT
  3        SCHOOL  DISTRICTS  MAY OFFER SERVICES TO CHILDREN UNDER THE MINIMUM SCHOOL
  4        AGE OF FIVE YEARS, TO SPECIFY CONDITIONS AND LIMITATIONS AND TO MAKE TECH-
  5        NICAL CHANGES.
                                                                        
  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. (1)  The services of the public schools of this state
 10    are  extended  to any acceptable person of school age. "School age" is defined
 11    as including all persons resident of the state, between the ages of  five  (5)
 12    and twenty-one (21) years.
 13        (a)  For  the purposes of this section, the age of five (5) years shall be
 14        attained when the fifth anniversary of birth occurs on or before the first
 15        day of September of the school year in which the child  is  to  enroll  in
 16        kindergarten.
 17        (b)  For  a  child  enrolling in the first grade, the age of six (6) years
 18        must be reached on or before the first day of September of the school year
 19        in which the child is to enroll.
 20        (c)  Any child of the age of five (5) years who has completed a private or
 21        public out-of-state kindergarten for the required four hundred fifty (450)
 22        hours but has not reached the "school age" requirement in Idaho  shall  be
 23        allowed to enter the first grade.
 24        (d)  For  resident children with disabilities who qualify for special edu-
 25        cation and related services under the federal individuals  with  disabili-
 26        ties  education act (IDEA) and subsequent amendments thereto, and applica-
 27        ble state and federal regulations, "school age" shall begin at the attain-
 28        ment of age three (3) years and shall continue  through  the  semester  of
 29        school in which the student attains the age of twenty-one (21) years.
 30        (2)  Notwithstanding  the  minimum school age as defined in subsection (1)
 31    of this section, a school district may offer services to  children  under  the
 32    age  of  five  (5)  years; provided however, that no state educational support
 33    program funds appropriated pursuant to chapter 10, title 33, Idaho Code, shall
 34    be allocated to support such services. No school district shall be required to
 35    establish a program of services for children under the age of five (5)  years,
 36    nor shall any child of such age be required to enroll in any such program. The
 37    minimum  school  age for enrollment in kindergarten, as provided in subsection
 38    (1) of this section, shall apply regardless of any child's participation in  a
 39    program of services for children under five (5) years of age.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact


                      STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

                           RS 15822
  
   Currently the definition of "school age" has the effect
  of excluding students who have not yet reached the age to
  attend kindergarten. This amendment would allow school
  districts to offer pre-school programs if they wish to do
  so. The language makes it clear that no district is required
  to offer pre-school, and no student is required to attend
  preschool. There is no reference to pre-school age, which
  would give districts the latitude to set their own age
  requirements. The bill prohibits allocating any state funds
  to districts for pre-school through the state foundation
  program. Finally, attendance at a district-operated pre-
  kindergarten or pre-school program does not qualify a
  student to go to kindergarten unless the child has reached
  the statutory age requirement of five years by September 1
  of the kindergarten year.
  
  
  
  
                       FISCAL IMPACT NOTE
  
  There will be no impact on the state s general fund
  since this legislation specifically prohibits allocating any
  money appropriated through the state foundation program to
  school districts in support of pre-kindergarten programs. In
  fact, the table of divisors for calculating the number of
  support units for which a school district is eligible does
  not include any reference to pre-kindergarten services, so
  attendance at any public school pre-kindergarten program
  will not generate any support units for the district.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  CONTACT
  Name:    Senator John Andreason
           Senator Mike Burkett
                      
                      
                      
                      
                      
  STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE                  S 1344