REPORT TITLE:
Education; School Attendance


DESCRIPTION:
Permits the Board of Education to determine the starting age for
children entering kindergarten and the first grade.  Provides for
child readiness programs for children affected by the change in
entrance age.  (SD2)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        1088
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                S.D. 2
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO SCHOOL ATTENDANCE.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  Section 302A-411, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
 2 amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
 
 3      "(a)  The department shall establish and maintain
 
 4 kindergartens with a program of instruction as a part of the
 
 5 public school system; provided that attendance shall not be
 
 6 mandatory.  No child shall attend any kindergarten unless the
 
 7 child [will be] is at least five years of age [on or before
 
 8 December 31 of the school year; provided that a child attending a
 
 9 school that convenes after the regular school schedule shall be
 
10 five years of age on or before one hundred twenty-five days
 
11 following the date the school convenes; and provided further that
 
12 the] on the first day of the school year as designated by the
 
13 board, or unless the child meets readiness standards specifically
 
14 determined by the board.  The board shall develop informational
 
15 guidance to promote the understanding of a child's readiness for
 
16 kindergarten.  Once the board establishes readiness standards, a
 
17 parent shall have the option of requesting a screening to
 
18 determine if the child shall be admitted.  The board shall not
 
19 charge for these screening assessments."
 

 
Page 2                                                     1088
                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
                                                        S.D. 2
                                                        

 
 1      SECTION 2.  Section 302A-1131, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
 2 amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
 
 3      "(a)  Except as authorized by section 302A-411, no child
 
 4 shall attend any public school unless the child [will be] is at
 
 5 least six years of age [before January 1 of the school year;
 
 6 provided that:
 
 7      (1)  A child attending a school that convenes after the
 
 8           regular school schedule shall be six years of age on or
 
 9           before one hundred twenty-five days following the date
 
10           the school shall convene; and
 
11      (2)  The department may establish procedures and criteria to
 
12           determine the psychological and physiological readiness
 
13           of children for public school and may grant an
 
14           exception in the case of a child who is found to be
 
15           ready.] on the first day of the school year as
 
16           designated by the board, or unless the child meets
 
17           readiness standards specifically determined by the
 
18           board.
 
19      Once the board establishes readiness standards, a parent
 
20 shall have the option of requesting a screening to determine if
 
21 the child shall be admitted.  The board shall not charge for
 
22 these assessments."
 

 
 
 
Page 3                                                     1088
                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
                                                        S.D. 2
                                                        

 
 1      SECTION 3.  Any department of education funds that become
 
 2 available due to the one-time lag in the number of students
 
 3 entering kindergarten shall be transferred from the department of
 
 4 education to the department of human services for the purpose of
 
 5 implementing programs for children affected by the change in
 
 6 entrance age and deemed not ready for kindergarten.
 
 7      SECTION 4.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed.
 
 8 New statutory material is underscored.
 
 9      SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect upon approval.