BILL ANALYSIS �
SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Carol Liu, Chair
2013-2014 Regular Session
BILL NO: AB 1444
AUTHOR: Buchanan
AMENDED: April 22, 2014
FISCAL COMM: Yes HEARING DATE: June 18, 2014
URGENCY: No CONSULTANT:Lynn Lorber
SUBJECT : Kindergarten.
SUMMARY
This bill requires, beginning with the 2016-17 school year, a
student to have completed one year of kindergarten before being
admitted to the first grade, thereby requiring kindergarten
attendance.
BACKGROUND
Current law:
Compulsory education
Requires every person between the ages of 6 and 18 years to attend
school full-time (at least the minimum schoolday as required by
statute and school districts).
(Education Code � 48200)
Kindergarten
Requires a student to be admitted to kindergarten if the student
will be five-years old on or before September 1 of the 2014-15
school year and every year thereafter. (EC � 48000)
Authorizes school districts to admit to kindergarten, on a
case-by-case basis, a student who will be five-years old during the
school year, subject to the following conditions:
1) The governing board of the school district determines that the
admittance is in the best interests of the student.
2) The parent is given information regarding the advantages and
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disadvantages and any other explanatory information about the
effect of this early admittance. (EC � 48000)
First grade
Requires a student to be admitted to the first grade if the student
will be six-years old on or before September 1 of the 2014-15 school
year and every year thereafter. (EC � 48010)
ANALYSIS
This bill requires, beginning with the 2016-17 school year, a
student to have completed one year of kindergarten before being
admitted to the first grade, thereby requiring kindergarten
attendance. Specifically, this bill:
1) Requires, beginning with the 2016-17 school year, a student to
have completed one year of kindergarten before being admitted
to the first grade.
2) Adds completion of one year of kindergarten as a condition of
admission to first grade, in addition to the existing condition
on age-eligibility.
STAFF COMMENTS
1) How many students currently attend kindergarten ? Kindergarten
is considered a grade level; is factored in the calculation of
average daily attendance; and is included in the academic
content standards, curricular frameworks and instructional
materials. However, attendance in kindergarten is not mandatory
and compulsory education laws begin at age 6.
The California Department of Education (CDE) estimates that between
90-95% of eligible students attend kindergarten (public and
private kindergarten); it is estimated that approximately 80%
of eligible students attend kindergarten at a public school.
The CDE's data shows that 28,000 students were enrolled in
first grade in 2011-12 but were not enrolled in kindergarten
the prior year, representing 5.7% of first grade enrollment.
It is likely that many of those students attended private
kindergarten.
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Current law does not require kindergarten attendance but does
require school districts to admit students into kindergarten if
the parent chooses to enroll the student and the student is
five-years old by September 1 (beginning with the 2014-15
school year and every year thereafter).
2) Will all five-year olds be required to attend kindergarten ?
No. This bill does not expand compulsory education laws to
include five-year olds. This bill does not preclude students
from being admitted to kindergarten at age six (but not older
due to compulsory education laws).
3) Public or private school . This bill does not require students
to attend kindergarten at a public school; parents would retain
the option to enroll their five- or six-year old in
kindergarten at a private school. This bill does not affect
the option for families to enroll a student in private
kindergarten (at age five or six) and subsequently enroll the
student in first grade at a public school.
4) Capacity . It is estimated that approximately 90-95% of
age-eligible students attend kindergarten. Will schools
(public and private) have sufficient facilities and
appropriately-credentialed teachers to serve additional
students? This bill requires kindergarten attendance beginning
with the 2016-17 school year.
5) Fiscal impact . According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, assuming 15,000 students do not currently attend
kindergarten and would be added to the calculation of average
daily attendance (ADA), using an ADA rate of $8,221 per
student, the State would incur ongoing General Fund and
Proposition 98 costs of approximately $123.3 million.
6) Related legislation . AB 1719 (Weber) requires the California
Department of Education to submit to the Legislature, by March
1, 2015, a feasibility study and implementation plan for
providing full-day kindergarten. AB 1719 is scheduled to be
heard in this Committee on June 25.
7) Prior legislation . AB 1772 (Buchanan, 2012) would have
required, beginning with the 2014-15 school year, a student to
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have completed one year of kindergarten before being admitted
to the first grade. AB 1772 was held in the Assembly
Appropriations Committee.
AB 2203 (V.Manuel Perez, 2012) would have expanded compulsory
education laws to include five-year olds. AB 2203 was held in
the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
AB 1236 (Mullin, 2008) would have expanded compulsory education laws
to include five-year olds. AB 1236 was held in the Assembly
Appropriations Committee.
SUPPORT
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
Association of California School Administrators
California Teachers Association
Compton Unified School District
County Welfare Directors Association of California
Fresno Unified School District
Greater Sacramento Urban League
Los Angeles County Education Foundation
Santa Clara County Office of Education
United Teachers Los Angeles
OPPOSITION
California Right to Life Committee
Concerned Woman of America
Independent Private Schools of California
Private School Advocacy Center