BILL NUMBER: SB 30 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN SENATE MARCH 25, 2011
INTRODUCED BY Senator Simitian
DECEMBER 6, 2010
An act to amend Section 48000 Sections
48000 and 48005.45 of the Education Code, relating to
kindergarten.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 30, as amended, Simitian. Kindergarten: age of
admission. admission and readiness.
Existing law requires that a child be admitted to kindergarten at
the beginning of a school year, or at any time later in the same year
, if the child will have his or her 5th birthday as
specified. Existing law establishes the Kindergarten Readiness
Pilot Program, which is administered by the Superintendent of Public
Instruction, to permit participating school districts to provide
opportunities for children to enhance their readiness for
kindergarten, as provided. Existing law requires the Superintendent,
by June 1, 2007, to contract for an independent longitudinal
evaluation regarding the effects of the change in the entry age for
kindergarten and first grade pursuant to the kindergarten readiness
program. Existing law requires the independent evaluator to file an
initial report by June 1, 2009, an interim report by
January 1, 2011, and a final report by January 1, 2012.
This bill would make a technical, nonsubstantive
change changes to that
the kindergarten admission provision.
This bill would require the independent evaluator to file the
final report by January 1, 2013, instead of January 1, 2012.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 48000 of the Education Code is amended to read:
48000. (a) A child shall be admitted to a kindergarten maintained
by the school district at the beginning of a school year, or at a
later time in the same year , if the child will have his or
her fifth 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) The governing board of a school district maintaining one or
more kindergartens may, on a case-by-case basis, admit to a
kindergarten a child having attained the age of five years at any
time during the school year with the approval of the parent or
guardian, subject to the following conditions:
(1) The governing board determines that the admittance is in the
best interests of the child.
(2) The parent or guardian is given information regarding the
advantages and disadvantages and any other explanatory information
about the effect of this early admittance.
(c) As a condition of receipt of the apportionment for pupils in a
transitional kindergarten program pursuant to subdivision (g) of
Section 46300, a school district or charter school shall ensure the
following:
(1) In the 2012-13 school year, a child who will have his or her
fifth birthday between November 2 and December 2 shall be admitted to
a transitional kindergarten program maintained by the school
district.
(2) In the 2013-14 school year, a child who will have his or her
fifth birthday between October 2 and December 2 shall be admitted to
a transitional kindergarten program maintained by the school
district.
(3) 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 shall be admitted to a transitional kindergarten program
maintained by the school district.
(d) For purposes of this section, "transitional kindergarten"
means the first year of a two-year kindergarten program that uses a
modified kindergarten curriculum that is age and developmentally
appropriate.
(e) A transitional kindergarten shall not be construed as a new
program or higher level of service.
SEC. 2. Section 48005.45 of the
Education Code is amended to read:
48005.45. (a) The Superintendent of Public Instruction
shall, by June 1, 2007, contract for an independent
longitudinal evaluation regarding the effects of the change in the
entry age for kindergarten and first grade pursuant to this article.
In selecting the independent evaluator, awarding the contract
pursuant to this section, and in monitoring performance under the
contract, the Superintendent of Public Instruction
shall consult with the advisory panel convened pursuant to
subdivision (b) of Section 48005.13.
(b) The evaluation shall be based upon samples of sufficient size
and diversity to allow results to be reported separately for pupils
of different ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and primary language,
and results of the evaluation shall be so reported.
(c) The primary purpose of the evaluation is to determine whether
this entry age change results in improved readiness for school and an
improvement in academic achievement among participating children.
(d) The evaluation shall use representative sampling to identify
the change's effects on all of the following:
(1) Academic achievement, as measured by standardized tests, as
compared with pupils not participating in the program.
(2) Behavioral problems, as measured by objective data including,
but not limited to, suspension and expulsion rates, as compared with
pupils not participating in the program.
(3) Academic problems, as measured by referrals to special
education and remedial programs, as compared with pupils not
participating in the program.
(4) Age of kindergarten entry and previous educationally based
preschool experience, including, but not limited to, access to child
care and preschool by parents or guardians.
(5) Overall retention rates in kindergarten and in subsequent
grades.
(6) Participation in remedial, supplemental, or summer school
programs.
(7) Class size.
(8) Number of pupils participating in kindergarten.
(9) Number of pupils participating in the kindergarten readiness
programs.
(10) Differences, if any, between programs with full preschool
participation, and those with partial or no preschool.
(11) Child care difficulties caused by the admission age change.
(12) Demographic breakdown of participants and nonparticipants,
including, but not limited to, socioeconomic and ethnic demographics.
(13) Facilities difficulties, if any, encountered by participating
school districts.
(14) The ability of parents to gain access to the program,
disaggregated by ethnic, primary language, and socioeconomic status.
(e) It is the intent of the Legislature that funding for this
evaluation be included in the Budget Act or a bill related to the
Budget Act. It is the intent of the Legislature to subsequently
increase the number of hours funded for the kindergarten readiness
program if the reports pursuant to this section indicate that the
increase would be beneficial.
(f) (1) The independent evaluator shall report to the Legislature,
the Governor, the Superintendent of Public Instruction
, the State Board of Education
state board , and the Secretary for Education.
(2) The initial report shall be filed by June 1, 2009. The interim
report shall be filed by January 1, 2011. The final report shall be
filed by January 1, 2012 2013 .