What's happening
This bill gradually changes the cutoff date for compulsory school attendance for six-year-olds from December 1 to September 1.
Why it matters
Gradual Change for Families. By moving the compulsory school start age cutoff from December 1 to September 1 over three years, the bill gives families and schools time to adjust, minimizing disruption for children who might otherwise have to start school earlier or later than expected.
Impact on Child Readiness. Some children who would have qualified to start kindergarten based on their late fall birthdays will now have to wait an additional year, potentially affecting their academic and social development plans and altering the age mix within each incoming class.
Pre-Kindergarten Priority. The bill requires that children affected by the new cutoff dates get priority for existing pre-kindergarten programs, ensuring that those who must wait an extra year for kindergarten access have educational opportunities in the interim.
Equity and Resource Planning. School districts will need to adapt enrollment projections, staffing, and resource allocation as the birthdate cutoff changes, which could impact class sizes and the distribution of early childhood education resources across the state.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Change School Starting Age
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History
- Referred to education
- Referred to education
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
8918
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
December 30, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. FAHY -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to the dates for attendance of minors upon full day instruction
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph c of subdivision 1 of section 3205 of the education law, as amended by chapter 518 of the laws of 1993, is amended to read as follows:
c. For purposes of this article, a minor who becomes six years of age on or before the first of [December] November in any school year shall be required to attend upon full time instruction from the first day that the appropriate public schools are in session in September of such school year, and a minor who becomes six years of age after the first of [December] November in any school year shall be required to attend upon full time instruction from the first day of session in the following September; and, except as otherwise provided in subdivision three of this section, shall be required to remain in attendance until the last day of session in the school year in which the minor becomes sixteen years of age.
§ 2. Paragraph c of subdivision 1 of section 3205 of the education law, as amended by section one of this act, is amended to read as follows:
c. For purposes of this article, a minor who becomes six years of age on or before the first of [November] October in any school year shall be required to attend upon full time instruction from the first day that the appropriate public schools are in session in September of such school year, and a minor who becomes six years of age after the first of [November] October in any school year shall be required to attend upon full time instruction from the first day of session in the following September; and, except as otherwise provided in subdivision three of
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14417-01-9
A. 8918 2
this section, shall be required to remain in attendance until the last day of session in the school year in which the minor becomes sixteen years of age.
§ 3. Paragraph c of subdivision 1 of section 3205 of the education law, as amended by section two of this act, is amended to read as follows:
c. For purposes of this article, a minor who becomes six years of age on or before the first of [October] September in any school year shall be required to attend upon full time instruction from the first day that the appropriate public schools are in session in September of such school year, and a minor who becomes six years of age after the first of [October] September in any school year shall be required to attend upon full time instruction from the first day of session in the following September; and, except as otherwise provided in subdivision three of this section, shall be required to remain in attendance until the last day of session in the school year in which the minor becomes sixteen years of age.
§ 4. Children affected by the changes to dates for attendance of minors upon full day instruction provided for in sections one, two and three of this act shall be given priority placement in existing pre-kindergarten programs in the school district where the child resides.
§ 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2021; provided, however, section two of this act shall take effect July 1, 2022; and, provided further, section three of this act shall take effect July 1, 2023.
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.