|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
relating to mandatory kindergarten attendance in public schools. |
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
SECTION 1 |
|
. Section 25.085(b), Education Code, is amended to |
|
read as follows: |
|
(b) Unless specifically exempted by Section 25.086, a child |
|
who is at least five [six] years of age on September 1 of the school |
|
year, or who is younger than five [six] years of age on September 1 |
|
of the school year and has previously been enrolled in |
|
prekindergarten or kindergarten [first grade], and who has not yet |
|
reached the child's 18th birthday shall attend school. |
|
SECTION 2. Section 29.009, Education Code, is amended to |
|
read as follows: |
|
Sec. 29.009. PUBLIC NOTICE CONCERNING PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS |
|
FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. Each school district shall develop |
|
a system to notify the population in the district with children who |
|
are at least three years of age but younger than five [six] years of |
|
age and who are eligible for enrollment in a special education |
|
program of the availability of the program. |
|
SECTION 3. Sections 42.003(a) and (d), Education Code, are |
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
(a) A student is entitled to the benefits of the Foundation |
|
School Program if the student is: |
|
(1) enrolled in kindergarten or is five [5] years of |
|
age or older on September 1 of the school year; and |
|
(2) under 21 years of age on September 1 of the school |
|
year and has not graduated from high school. |
|
(d) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a student younger than |
|
five years of age on September 1 of the school year who is not |
|
otherwise [is] entitled to the benefits of the Foundation School |
|
Program is entitled to the benefits of the program if: |
|
(1) the student performs satisfactorily on the |
|
assessment instrument administered under Section 39.023(a) to |
|
students in the third grade; and |
|
(2) the district has adopted a policy for admitting |
|
students younger than five years of age. |
|
SECTION 4. Sections 25.085(c) and 42.003(c), Education |
|
Code, are repealed. |
|
SECTION 5. This Act applies beginning with the 2007-2008 |
|
school year. |
|
SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|
Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |