BILL NUMBER: AB 1444	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 28, 2014

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly  Member   Weber
  Members   Buchanan   and Weber 

    (   Principal   coauthors:  
Assembly Members   Alejo,   Bonilla,  
Bonta,   Bradford,   Campos,   Dickinson,
  Medina,   Pan,   and Quirk-Silva 
 ) 
    (   Principal  coauthors:  
Senators   DeSaulnier,   Hill,   Lieu,
  Wolk,   Wright,   and Yee   )


                        JANUARY 6, 2014

   An act  relating to elementary education.  
to amend Section 48010 of, and to add Section 48001 to, the Education
Code, relating to kindergarten. 


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1444, as amended,  Weber   Buchanan 
. Elementary education: kindergarten. 
   Under existing law, a person between the ages of 6 and 18 years
who is not exempted by law is subject to compulsory full-time
education. Existing law excludes a child under 6 years of age from
the public schools, subject to specified exceptions.  
   Existing law requires a school district maintaining a kindergarten
to admit a child who will have his or her 5th birthday on or before
certain specified dates during that school year. Existing law also
requires that a child who will have his or her 6th birthday on or
before specified dates be admitted to the first grade of an
elementary school.  
   This bill, beginning with the 2015-16 school year, would require a
child to have completed one year of kindergarten before he or she
may be admitted to the first grade, thereby imposing a state-mandated
local program.  
   The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local
agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.  
   This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates
determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state,
reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these
statutory provisions.  
   Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and
secondary schools in this state, and generally requires compulsory
full-time education for each person between 6 and 18 years of age.
Existing law authorizes school districts to operate kindergarten
programs, and sets minimum ages for children who are admitted to
kindergarten.  
   This bill would express the intent of the Legislature to enact
legislation that would require the children of this state to attend
kindergarten. 
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  no
  yes  . State-mandated local program:  no
  yes  .


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   SECTION 1.    Section 48001 is added to the 
 Education Code   , to read:  
   48001.  Beginning with the 2015-16 school year, a child shall have
completed one year of kindergarten before he or she may be admitted
to the first grade. 
   SEC. 2.    Section 48010 of the  Education
Code   is amended to read: 
   48010.  (a) A child shall be admitted to the first grade of an
elementary school during the first month of a school year if the
child  has completed one year of kindergarten and  will have
his or her sixth birthday on or before one of the following dates:
   (1) December 2 of the 2011-12 school year.
   (2) November 1 of the 2012-13 school year.
   (3) October 1 of the 2013-14 school year.
   (4) September 1 of the 2014-15 school year and each school year
thereafter.
   (b) 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.
   SEC. 3.    If the Commission on State Mandates
determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state,
reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs
shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of
Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.  
  SECTION 1.    It is the intent of the Legislature
to enact legislation that would require the children of this state to
attend kindergarten.