BILL ANALYSIS SB 1381 Page 1 SENATE THIRD READING SB 1381 (Simitian) As Amended August 4, 2010 Majority vote SENATE VOTE :28-4 EDUCATION 8-0 APPROPRIATIONS 12-5 ----------------------------------------------------------------- |Ayes:|Brownley, Nestande, |Ayes:|Fuentes, Bradford, | | |Ammiano, | |Huffman, Coto, Davis, De | | |Arambula, Carter, Eng, | |Leon, Gatto, Hall, | | |Miller, | |Skinner, Solorio, | | |Torlakson | |Torlakson, Torrico | | | | | | |-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------| | | |Nays:|Conway, Harkey, Miller, | | | | |Nielsen, Norby | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY : Moves up the dates by which a child must turn five to enroll in kindergarten and six to enroll in first grade. Specifically, this bill : 1)Specifies that in computing the average daily attendance of a school district, there shall be included the attendance of pupils in kindergarten after they have completed one school year in kindergarten if one of the following conditions is met: a) The school district has on file for each of those pupils an agreement made pursuant to existing law, approved in form and content by the department and signed by the pupil's parent or guardian, that the pupil may continue in kindergarten for not more than one additional school year; or, b) The pupils are participating in a transitional kindergarten program. 2)Specifies the following dates by which a child must turn five to enroll in kindergarten maintained by the school district: SB 1381 Page 2 a) On or before December 2 for the 2011-12 school year; b) On or before November 1 for the 2012-13 school year; c) On or before October 1 for the 2013-14 school year; and, d) On or before September 1 for the 2014-15 school year and each school year thereafter. 3)Strikes the provision authorizing a child who will have his or her fifth birthday on or before December 2nd to be admitted to the prekindergarten summer program maintained by the school district for pupils who will be enrolling in kindergarten in September. 4)Specifies that a child shall be admitted to a transitional kindergarten program maintained by the school district as follows: a) In the 2012-13 school year, a child who will have his or her fifth birthday between November 2 and December 2; b) In the 2013-14 school year, a child who will have his or her fifth birthday between October 2 and December 2; and, c) In the 2014-15 school year and each school year thereafter, a child who will have his or her fifth birthday between September 2 and December 2. 5)Defines "transitional kindergarten" as the first year of a two-year kindergarten program that uses a modified kindergarten curriculum that is age and developmentally appropriate. 6)Makes corresponding changes to the dates by which a child must turn six to enroll in first grade: a) December 2 for the 2011-12 school year; b) November 1 for the 2012-13 school year; c) October 1 for the 2013-14 school year; and, SB 1381 Page 3 d) September 1 for the 2014-15 school year and each school year thereafter. 7)Specifies that 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. FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee: 1)General Fund (GF)/Proposition 98 revenue limit funding costs of $19.8 million in 2011-12, $40.5 million in 2012-13, and $57.2 million in 2013-14 associated with additional children attending a transitional kindergarten program as opposed to enrolling in kindergarten. 2)Annual GF/Proposition 98 state reimbursable mandated costs, of at least $13.2 million to school districts to hire additional teachers for the transitional kindergarten programs. 3)Annual GF/Proposition 98 state reimbursable mandated costs, of at least $2.6 million to school districts to provide professional development to teachers and purchase portable classroom facilities for the transitional kindergarten program. COMMENTS : This bill moves up the date by which a child must turn five for kindergarten entry one month per year beginning with the 2012-13 school year for three years. By the 2014-15 school year, a child must be five years old on or before September 1st in order to start kindergarten. California is one of four states (Connecticut, Michigan and Vermont) to have cut-off dates between December 1 and January 1. Thirty five states have cut-off dates between August 31 and October 16; four states have cut-off dates on or before August 15; six states leave the entrance-age decision up to local school districts; and one state allows districts to choose September 30 or August 1. It is estimated that 115,000 or 25% of a kindergarten class would be affected by this proposal (there were 461,043 kindergarteners in 2008-09). The California Department of Education (CDE) projects displacement of 3,500 teachers associated with this shift. Due to increased emphasis on test scores, kindergarten classes SB 1381 Page 4 now place heavier emphasis on academics. Success in kindergarten is not only affected by what a child knows or not knows academically, other factors such as physical, social and emotional readiness are also important. Delaying the entry of four-year-old children will give them time to prepare and mature (e.g., able to follow directions, take care of themselves). Numerous studies have been conducted relative to school readiness and the age of entry into kindergarten. Some studies report a benefit to delayed entry while others show there are little or no long-term benefits. The following are a few highlights: A May 2008 Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) review of 14 existing studies found that students who enter kindergarten at an older age do better on math and reading test scores, with the impact lasting into the eighth grade. Studies also suggest that older students are less likely to be retained a grade or to be diagnosed with a learning disability, while having higher likelihood of attending college and earning higher wages. The report notes, however, that the actual birthdate for entry would affect individual pupils in different ways. Those kids who are delayed for a year will be the older kids in their class, but those with the mid-year birthdays will now be the youngest. While unlikely to occur, this can potentially affect graduation rates. California's compulsory education law requires attendance in school from six through 18 years of age; kindergarten is not mandatory in California. Kids who turn 18 earlier will be able to leave school earlier and therefore may not graduate. The PPIC also reports the results of one study that shows that kids from higher income families fare better than kids from disadvantaged families due to increased opportunities for access to prekindergarten/preschool programs. This is evident by parents who intentionally hold children with fall birthdays back, a practice commonly referred to as "redshirting" in order to provide their children with extra time to gain the skills necessary to be successful for academics. PPIC has determined that the benefits of delaying entry overrides the negatives, but points out that the effect of delaying entry to kindergarten is contingent upon the extent to which disparities in skill acquisition between kids are removed. Finally, the PPIC recommends that policymakers pay special attention to the effect SB 1381 Page 5 on disadvantaged kids and English learners, who may need additional prekindergarten opportunities. Another report, "What Age Should Children Enter Kindergarten? A Question for Policy Makers and Parents" (Stipek, 2002), concludes that school experience makes a greater contribution to academic achievement than delaying children's school entry. According to Stipek, research does not support any unique "threshold" entry age by which young children are most ready to begin school. Children from low-income backgrounds, already at risk of starting school behind their middle-class peers in terms of academic skills, may be even further disadvantaged when kindergarten is delayed. A 2005 study by the RAND Corporation titled "Delaying Kindergarten: Effects on Test Scores and Childcare Costs" found that delaying kindergarten boosts standardized test scores in math and reading. However, the study also noted that delaying kindergarten can have a negative economic effect on families by imposing additional childcare costs for families. The report suggests that "policymakers may need to view entrance age policies and childcare policies as a package." A CDE report in 2004 also recommends that thought be given to the types and quality of preschool services that would be available to displaced children. The Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO), in its analysis of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2010-11 budget, supports the date change and recommends implementation beginning in the 2011-12 school year in order to realize approximately $700 million savings from revenue limit and categorical program savings. The LAO suggests that some of the funding could be used for subsidized preschool for low-income kids. Concerns have been raised about moving the birthdate for kindergarten for budgetary reasons. The reason for delaying entry is to ensure that the kids are better prepared for school, academically and social-emotionally. If over 100,000 kids are prevented from starting their education, the state should ensure that they have access to programs that will ensure their school readiness. This bill proposes to phase in the change over three years time by moving the date by which a child must turn five years old one month at a time, starting with November 1st in the 2012-13 SB 1381 Page 6 school year. There have been numerous bills on this subject over the last 13 years. Some bills have proposed phasing in the change one month each year over three years, while the majority has proposed to make the change in one year. The author's office argues that phasing in the change results in less of an impact and enables districts to better adjust to the loss of enrollment. However, the California School Boards Association (CSBA) argues that making the change in one year will be less confusing for families and schools and makes the transition easier. This bill provides that children displaced as a result of the birthday changes shall be admitted to a transitional kindergarten program maintained by the school district. There are anecdotal reports of increasing number of districts experimenting with transitional kindergarten for children with fall birthdays. Districts are using as the basis of their programs existing law that allows parents and school districts to, upon the conclusion of one year of kindergarten, retain a child in kindergarten for another year. These programs differ from preschool programs in that they are taught by credentialed teachers and are adapted from kindergarten curriculum. Another advantage is that the kids will likely be on a schoolsite where they will experience a classroom setting, but without the stigma of being "held back" for another year of kindergarten. Analysis Prepared by : Sophia Kwong Kim / ED. / (916) 319-2087 FN: 0006019