BILL ANALYSIS
SB 1381
Page 1
SENATE THIRD READING
SB 1381 (Simitian)
As Amended August 20, 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 the provisions of this bill may be cited as the
Kindergarten Readiness Act of 2010.
2)Specifies that notwithstanding Education Code Section 41204(d),
in computing the average daily attendance (ADA) of a school
district, there shall be included the attendance of pupils in
kindergarten after they have completed one school year in
kindergarten or pupils in a transitional kindergarten program
after they have completed one year in that program 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 participated in a transitional kindergarten
program.
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3)Specifies that a school district may not include for
apportionment purposes the attendance of any pupil for more than
two years in kindergarten or for more than two years in a
combination of transitional kindergarten and kindergarten.
4)Specifies the following dates by which a child must turn five to
enroll in kindergarten maintained by the school district:
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.
5)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.
6)Specifies that as a condition of receipt of apportionment for
pupils in a transitional kindergarten program, a school district
or charter school shall ensure that a child is admitted to a
transitional kindergarten program maintained by the school
district as follows:
a) In the 2012-13 school year, a child will have his or her
fifth birthday between November 2 and December 2;
b) In the 2013-14 school year, a child 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 will have his or her fifth birthday
between September 2 and December 2.
7)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.
8)Specifies that a transitional kindergarten shall not be
construed as a new program or higher level of service.
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9)Makes corresponding changes to the dates by which a child must
turn six to enroll in first grade as follows:
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,
d) September 1 for the 2014-15 school year and each school
year thereafter.
10)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
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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 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
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removed. Finally, the PPIC recommends that policymakers pay
special attention to the effect 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."
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 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,
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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, defined as the first
year of a two year kindergarten program using a modified
kindergarten curriculum. This bill also establishes that
transitional kindergarten is eligible for ADA, but prohibits a
school district from claiming ADA for a child for more than two
years in kindergarten or for more than two years in a combination
of transitional kindergarten and kindergarten.
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: 0006511