What's happening
This bill requires all New York school districts to provide free, full-day kindergarten programs for resident children starting in the 2027-2028 school year.
Why it matters
Mandates a uniform start for early education across NY State. By requiring all districts to run full-day kindergarten, the bill aims to ensure children statewide have equal access to foundational education, potentially reducing disparities in school readiness and later achievement.
Could impact school district budgets and resources. Districts without current full-day kindergarten may need to hire more staff, expand facilities, or reallocate funds, influencing local education spending and planning.
May affect family routines and childcare needs. Full-day programs reduce the need for midday childcare, which can provide financial and logistical relief for working families and improve attendance and engagement for children.
Signals a statewide shift in educational expectations and standards. Making full-day kindergarten compulsory reflects an acknowledgment of its developmental and academic benefits, possibly influencing future state investments and priorities in early childhood education.
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Who cares
School district boards of education
The bill would require them to maintain free kindergarten and operate it full day beginning in the 2027–2028 school year.
Families seeking kindergarten enrollment
Districts would have to make full-day kindergarten available to all children beginning in 2027–2028, rather than merely having the option to offer it.
Parents of children ages four to six
Kindergarten would remain free for resident children in this age range, though school boards could still set a higher minimum admission age.
Headline styles
Require Full-Day Kindergarten
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
4 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to education
- Referred to education
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1144
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 9, 2025
Introduced by M. of A. PAULIN, RAMOS, HEVESI, COOK, LUPARDO -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to full day kindergarten
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 1712 of the education law is amended to read as follows:
1. The board of education of each school district [may] shall maintain kindergartens which shall be free to resident children between the ages of four and six years, provided, however, such board may fix a higher minimum age for admission to such kindergartens. In the two thousand twenty-seven--two thousand twenty-eight school year and thereafter, all such kindergartens shall be operated on a full-time basis.
§ 2. Subdivision 1 of section 2514 of the education law, as added by chapter 762 of the laws of 1950, is amended to read as follows:
1. The board of education of each city school district [may] shall maintain kindergartens which shall be free to resident children between the ages of four and six years, provided, however, such board may fix a higher minimum age for admission to such kindergartens. In the two thousand twenty-seven--two thousand twenty-eight school year and thereafter, all such kindergartens shall be operated on a full-time basis.
§ 3. Subdivision 1 of section 2555 of the education law, such section as renumbered by chapter 762 of the laws of 1950, is amended to read as follows:
1. The board of education of each city [may] shall maintain kindergartens which shall be free to resident children between the ages of four and six years, provided, however, such board may fix a higher minimum age for admission to such kindergartens. In the two thousand twentyseven--two thousand twenty-eight school year and thereafter, all such kindergartens shall be operated on a full-time basis.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02307-01-5
§ 4. The opening paragraph of subdivision 9 of section 3602 of the education law, as amended by section 9 of part A of chapter 57 of the laws of 2013, is amended to read as follows:
School districts may make available full day kindergarten programs for all children wishing to attend such programs, and, commencing with the two thousand twenty-seven--two thousand twenty-eight school year, shall make full day kindergarten programs available to all children.
§ 5. This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
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.