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
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|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 |
| | | | |
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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:
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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,
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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
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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
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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
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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