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A1377Assembly2017-2018 SessionSame asS2274

Require Kindergarten at Age Five

Official title

“Authorizes the Cohoes and Watervliet city school districts to require minors five years of age to attend kindergarten”

Sponsor John T. McDonald IIIAD-108+2 co-sponsorsAffects Education
Status
Signed by Governor
Impact
3/10
Low
Outcome
Signed into law

Bill progress

Signed into law

What's happening

This bill allows the Cohoes and Watervliet city school districts to require five-year-olds to attend kindergarten.

Why it matters

  1. Expands local school authority. The bill gives Cohoes and Watervliet school districts the same power as larger cities (like New York City and Buffalo) to require kindergarten attendance for five-year-olds, potentially standardizing early education expectations across more of New York State.

  2. Targets early learning gaps. By mandating kindergarten, the districts can ensure that children begin formal education earlier, which research suggests can help close achievement gaps and improve long-term educational outcomes, especially for disadvantaged students.

  3. Maintains parental and alternative education rights. The bill preserves the option for parents to delay enrollment until first grade and explicitly exempts children in non-public schools or home instruction, supporting family choice and educational diversity.

  4. Potential impact on district resources. Requiring kindergarten attendance could affect local school budgets and staffing needs, prompting the districts to plan for increased enrollment and possibly expanded facilities or transportation services.

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Who cares

Headline styles

Require Kindergarten at Age Five

Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.

Sponsors

Primary sponsor
John T. McDonald III

Assembly Member · Assembly District 108

Chair, Governmental Operations

1 Multi-sponsor

History

  1. Signed chap.277
  2. Delivered to governor
  3. Returned to assembly
  4. Passed senateVote 62–0
  5. 3rd reading cal.1943
  6. Substituted for S2274
  7. Referred to education
  8. Delivered to senate
  9. Passed assembly
  10. Advanced to third reading cal.263
  11. Reported
  12. Reported referred to ways and means
Show 1 earlier action
  1. Referred to education

Companion bill

The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.

S2274Senate

Require Kindergarten at Age Five

Senate Floor Calendar · Sponsor Neil D. Breslin

Impact 4 · Low0% to pass

Full text

1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗

STATE OF NEW YORK

1377

2017-2018 Regular Sessions

IN ASSEMBLY

January 11, 2017

Introduced by M. of A. McDONALD -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education

AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to authorizing the city school districts of Cohoes and Watervliet to require minors five years of age to attend kindergarten

The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:

Section 1. Paragraph c of subdivision 2 of section 3205 of the education law, as amended by chapter 118 of the laws of 2015, is amended to read as follows:

c. The board of education of the Syracuse city school district, the board of education of the city school district of the city of New York, the board of education of the city school district of the city of Rochester, the board of education of the city school district of the city of Utica, the board of education of the city school district of the city of Buffalo the board of education of the city school district of the city of Cohoes, the board of education of the city school district of the city of Watervliet, and the board of education of the city school district of the city of Yonkers are hereby authorized to require minors who are five years of age on or before December first to attend kindergarten instruction. However, the provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to:

(i) Minors whose parents elect not to enroll their children in school until the following September.

(ii) Students enrolled in non-public schools or in home instruction.

§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

[ ] is old law to be omitted.

LBD07531-01-7

Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.

Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.