California Assembly Bill AB1444 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 1444AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 28, 2014 INTRODUCED BY Assembly  Member   Weber   Members   Buchanan   and Weber   (   Principal   coauthors:   Assembly Members   Alejo,   Bonilla,   Bonta,   Bradford,   Campos,   Dickinson,   Medina,   Pan,   and Quirk-Silva   )   (   Principal  coauthors:   Senators   DeSaulnier,   Hill,   Lieu,   Wolk,   Wright,   and Yee   )  JANUARY 6, 2014 An act  relating to elementary education.   to amend Section 48010 of, and to add Section 48001 to, the Education Code, relating to kindergarten.  LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1444, as amended,  Weber   Buchanan  . Elementary education: kindergarten.  Under existing law, a person between the ages of 6 and 18 years who is not exempted by law is subject to compulsory full-time education. Existing law excludes a child under 6 years of age from the public schools, subject to specified exceptions.   Existing law requires a school district maintaining a kindergarten to admit a child who will have his or her 5th birthday on or before certain specified dates during that school year. Existing law also requires that a child who will have his or her 6th birthday on or before specified dates be admitted to the first grade of an elementary school.   This bill, beginning with the 2015-16 school year, would require a child to have completed one year of kindergarten before he or she may be admitted to the first grade, thereby imposing a state-mandated local program.   The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.   This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.   Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and secondary schools in this state, and generally requires compulsory full-time education for each person between 6 and 18 years of age. Existing law authorizes school districts to operate kindergarten programs, and sets minimum ages for children who are admitted to kindergarten.   This bill would express the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would require the children of this state to attend kindergarten.  Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  no   yes  . State-mandated local program:  no   yes  . THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:  SECTION 1.   Section 48001 is added to the   Education Code   , to read:   48001. Beginning with the 2015-16 school year, a child shall have completed one year of kindergarten before he or she may be admitted to the first grade.   SEC. 2.   Section 48010 of the  Education Code   is amended to read:  48010. (a) A child shall be admitted to the first grade of an elementary school during the first month of a school year if the child  has completed one year of kindergarten and  will have his or her sixth 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) For good cause, the governing board of a school district may permit a child of proper age to be admitted to a class after the first school month of the school term.  SEC. 3.   If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.   SECTION 1.   It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would require the children of this state to attend kindergarten.