California Senate Bill SB30 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: SB 30AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE MARCH 25, 2011 INTRODUCED BY Senator Simitian DECEMBER 6, 2010 An act to amend  Section 48000   Sections 48000 and 48005.45  of the Education Code, relating to kindergarten. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 30, as amended, Simitian. Kindergarten: age of  admission.   admission and readiness.  Existing law requires that a child be admitted to kindergarten at the beginning of a school year, or at any time later in the same year  , if the child will have his or her 5th birthday as specified.  Existing law establishes the Kindergarten Readiness Pilot Program, which is administered by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, to permit participating school districts to provide opportunities for children to enhance their readiness for kindergarten, as provided. Existing law requires the Superintendent, by June 1, 2007, to contract for an independent longitudinal evaluation regarding the effects of the change in the entry age for kindergarten and first grade pursuant to the kindergarten readiness program. Existing law requires the independent evaluator to file an initial   report by June 1, 2009, an interim report by January 1, 2011, and a final report by January 1, 2012.  This bill would make a  technical, nonsubstantive  change   changes  to  that   the kindergarten admission  provision.  This bill would require the independent evaluator to file the final report by January 1, 2013, instead of January 1, 2012.  Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 48000 of the Education Code is amended to read: 48000. (a) A child shall be admitted to a kindergarten maintained by the school district at the beginning of a school year, or at a later time in the same year  , if the child will have his or her fifth birthday on or before one of the following dates: (1) December 2 of the 2011-12 school year. (2) November 1 of the 2012-13 school year. (3) October 1 of the 2013-14 school year. (4) September 1 of the 2014-15 school year and each school year thereafter. (b) The governing board of a school district maintaining one or more kindergartens may, on a case-by-case basis, admit to a kindergarten a child having attained the age of five years at any time during the school year with the approval of the parent or guardian, subject to the following conditions: (1) The governing board determines that the admittance is in the best interests of the child. (2) The parent or guardian is given information regarding the advantages and disadvantages and any other explanatory information about the effect of this early admittance. (c) As a condition of receipt of the apportionment for pupils in a transitional kindergarten program pursuant to subdivision (g) of Section 46300, a school district or charter school shall ensure the following: (1) In the 2012-13 school year, a child who will have his or her fifth birthday between November 2 and December 2 shall be admitted to a transitional kindergarten program maintained by the school district. (2) In the 2013-14 school year, a child who will have his or her fifth birthday between October 2 and December 2 shall be admitted to a transitional kindergarten program maintained by the school district. (3) In the 2014-15 school year and each school year thereafter, a child who will have his or her fifth birthday between September 2 and December 2 shall be admitted to a transitional kindergarten program maintained by the school district. (d) For purposes of this section, "transitional kindergarten" means the first year of a two-year kindergarten program that uses a modified kindergarten curriculum that is age and developmentally appropriate. (e) A transitional kindergarten shall not be construed as a new program or higher level of service.  SEC. 2.   Section 48005.45 of the   Education Code   is amended to read:  48005.45. (a) The Superintendent  of Public Instruction  shall, by June 1, 2007, contract for an independent longitudinal evaluation regarding the effects of the change in the entry age for kindergarten and first grade pursuant to this article. In selecting the independent evaluator, awarding the contract pursuant to this section, and in monitoring performance under the contract, the Superintendent  of Public Instruction  shall consult with the advisory panel convened pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 48005.13. (b) The evaluation shall be based upon samples of sufficient size and diversity to allow results to be reported separately for pupils of different ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and primary language, and results of the evaluation shall be so reported. (c) The primary purpose of the evaluation is to determine whether this entry age change results in improved readiness for school and an improvement in academic achievement among participating children. (d) The evaluation shall use representative sampling to identify the change's effects on all of the following: (1) Academic achievement, as measured by standardized tests, as compared with pupils not participating in the program. (2) Behavioral problems, as measured by objective data including, but not limited to, suspension and expulsion rates, as compared with pupils not participating in the program. (3) Academic problems, as measured by referrals to special education and remedial programs, as compared with pupils not participating in the program. (4) Age of kindergarten entry and previous educationally based preschool experience, including, but not limited to, access to child care and preschool by parents or guardians. (5) Overall retention rates in kindergarten and in subsequent grades. (6) Participation in remedial, supplemental, or summer school programs. (7) Class size. (8) Number of pupils participating in kindergarten. (9) Number of pupils participating in the kindergarten readiness programs. (10) Differences, if any, between programs with full preschool participation, and those with partial or no preschool. (11) Child care difficulties caused by the admission age change. (12) Demographic breakdown of participants and nonparticipants, including, but not limited to, socioeconomic and ethnic demographics. (13) Facilities difficulties, if any, encountered by participating school districts. (14) The ability of parents to gain access to the program, disaggregated by ethnic, primary language, and socioeconomic status. (e) It is the intent of the Legislature that funding for this evaluation be included in the Budget Act or a bill related to the Budget Act. It is the intent of the Legislature to subsequently increase the number of hours funded for the kindergarten readiness program if the reports pursuant to this section indicate that the increase would be beneficial. (f) (1) The independent evaluator shall report to the Legislature, the Governor, the Superintendent  of Public Instruction  , the  State Board of Education   state board  , and the Secretary for Education. (2) The initial report shall be filed by June 1, 2009. The interim report shall be filed by January 1, 2011. The final report shall be filed by January 1,  2012   2013  .