What's happening
This bill authorizes the Cohoes and Watervliet city school districts to require five-year-olds to attend kindergarten.
Why it matters
Expands local control over early education. By allowing Cohoes and Watervliet city school districts to mandate kindergarten attendance for five-year-olds, the bill gives these communities greater say in shaping the start of formal education.
Aims to address readiness gaps early. Mandatory kindergarten can help ensure all children in these districts begin first grade with a similar foundation, potentially reducing disparities in academic skills that arise when some children start school later.
Includes opt-out provisions for families. The bill allows parents to delay enrollment until the following year or choose non-public or home instruction, balancing compulsory attendance with respect for family choice and alternative education paths.
Signals recognition of kindergarten’s value. The inclusion of more districts in mandatory kindergarten requirements reflects a broader policy trend that sees early childhood education as critical for long-term student success, which could influence statewide or national discussions.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Require Kindergarten at Age Five
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Substituted by A1377
- Ordered to third reading cal.1943
- Reported and committed to rules
- 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.
Require Kindergarten at Age Five
Signed by Governor · Sponsor John T. McDonald III
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2274
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 12, 2017
Introduced by Sen. BRESLIN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed 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.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
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
Purpose or general idea of bill
Authorizes the Cohoes and Watervliet city school districts to require minors five years of age to attend kindergarten
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1 gives authorization to the Cohoes city school district and Watervliet city school district to make kindergarten compulsory for all five year olds, except for those children whose parents choose not to enroll them until the following September.
Section 2 sets forth the effective date.
Justification
Kindergarten is one of the many components of early intervention that our education system uses to get students on the right track and prepared for the rest of their education. The City of Cohoes School District and the City of Watervliet School District provide full day kindergarten programs to help children receive the educational benefits and longer term successes that early education provides.
Unfortunately, many children of kindergarten age are absent from school because their attendance is not required. The Cohoes and Watervliet School Boards passed resolutions emphasizing the need for quality early education and the positive impact required kindergarten attendance would have on the children in the community. This measure is designed to address the kindergarten attendance issue in the Cohoes City School District requiring five-year-old children to benefit from the District's kindergarten initiative for long-term academic success. Currently, Cohoes has an average absentee rate for kindergarten students of 26% between its three elementary schools. Although not as severe, Watervliet is facing a 5% absentee rate, which is still impacting its students.
A similar provision in Education Law was adopted for the Syracuse City School District over 25 years ago and recently for the Rochester, New York City, Buffalo, and Utica School Districts.
Prior legislative history
None.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.