SRC-MWN S.B. 526 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 526
77R3239 CAS-DBy: Armbrister
Education
2/23/2001
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, some children enrolling into kindergarten are not turning
five-years of age until several weeks after the school calender year has
begun. As proposed, S.B. 526 changes the birth date to May 31 so that
children who turn five-years of age in the summer will have the additional
time to mature before they begin school. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a
state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Sections 25.001(a) and (b), Education Code, to provide
that a person who was, rather than is, at least five years of age on May 31
of the preceding school year and is under 21 years of age on the first day
of September of the, rather than any, school year is entitled to the
benefits of the available school fund for that school year. Requires the
board of trustees of a school district or its designee to admit into the
public schools of the district free of tuition a person who is entitled to
the benefits of the available school fund under Subsection (a) for the
school year in which admission is sought if the person meets certain
conditions. Deletes text regarding over five and younger than 21 years of
age. 

SECTION 2. Amends Section 25.036(a), Education Code, to make a conforming
change. 

SECTION 3. Amends Section 29.151, Education Code, to require the board of
trustees of each school district to establish and maintain one or more
kindergartens for the training of children residing in the district who
were, rather than are, at least five years of age on May 31, rather than
September 1, of the preceding school year. 

SECTION 4. Amends Sections 42.003(a) and (c), Education Code, to make
conforming changes. 

SECTION 5. Provides that this Act applies beginning with the 2001-2002
school year. 

SECTION 6. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2001.