H.B. No. 1019
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the age at which persons are required or permitted to
1-3 attend public school.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 21.032(a), Education Code, is amended to
1-6 read as follows:
1-7 (a) Unless specifically exempted by Section 21.033 of this
1-8 code or under other laws or unless a child <is at least 17 years of
1-9 age and> has graduated from high school or has been issued a high
1-10 school equivalency certificate, every child in the state who is as
1-11 much as six years of age, or who is less than seven years of age
1-12 and has previously been enrolled in first grade, and who has not
1-13 completed the academic year in which his 17th birthday occurred
1-14 shall be required to attend the public schools in the district of
1-15 his residence or in some other district to which he may be
1-16 transferred as provided or authorized by law a minimum of 170 days
1-17 of the regular school term of the district in which the child
1-18 resides or to which he has been transferred.
1-19 SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Education Code, is
1-20 amended by adding Sections 21.0321 and 21.0322 to read as follows:
1-21 Sec. 21.0321. OPTION TO ATTEND FIRST GRADE. A child who
1-22 will attain the age of six years after September 1 but before
1-23 January 1 of a regular school year may, upon approval of the board
1-24 of trustees, be enrolled in the first grade for that school year on
2-1 the written request of the child's parent or person standing in
2-2 parental relation to the child to the board of trustees of the
2-3 school district in which the child is enrolled.
2-4 Sec. 21.0322. OPTION TO ATTEND KINDERGARTEN. A child who
2-5 will attain the age of five years after September 1 but before
2-6 January 1 of a regular school year may, upon approval of the board
2-7 of trustees, be enrolled in kindergarten for that school year on
2-8 the written request of the child's parent or person standing in
2-9 parental relation to the child to the board of trustees of the
2-10 school district in which the child is enrolled.
2-11 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
2-12 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-13 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-14 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-15 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-16 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
2-17 passage, and it is so enacted.