Authorizes the board of education of the city school district of the city of New York to require minors who are five years old to attend kindergarten instruction.

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S7015-2011 Actions

• Jun 21, 2012: SUBSTITUTED BY A9861
• Jun 21, 2012: ORDERED TO THIRD READING CAL.1531
• Jun 21, 2012: COMMITTEE DISCHARGED AND COMMITTED TO RULES
• May 1, 2012: REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE
• Apr 20, 2012: REFERRED TO EDUCATION

S7015-2011 Meetings

Education: May 1, 2012, Rules: Jun 21, 2012

S7015-2011 Calendars

Floor Calendar: Jun 21, 2012

S7015-2011 Votes

S7015-2011 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S7015

TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to authorizing the board
of education of the city school district of the city of New York to
require minors who are five years old to attend kindergarten instruction

PURPOSE:
The bill allows the school district of the City of New York to require
minors who are five years old on or before December 1st to attend
kindergarten.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends Education Law � 3205 to authorize the school district
of the city of New York to require children five years of age to attend
kindergarten.

Section 2 sets forth the effective date.

JUSTIFICATION:
Early childhood education has a lasting impact on children's academic
and social outcomes.  Research has shown that children who receive early
educational interventions are more likely to graduate from high school,
find a job, and stay out of jail. Early childhood education also makes
economic sense: the return on investment for early education programs is
12%.

Currently, in New York State, kindergarten is not mandatory. In the past
five years, there are, on average, 7% more children who attend first
grade than kindergarten at New York City public schools. This means that
annually, approximately 2500 children are not attending kindergarten and
getting the early start on education that is so critical in New York
City. Districts with the largest difference in enrollment tend to be
mostly Black and Latino and have over 75% of students eligible for free
and reduced lunch; many have high percentages of English language lear-
ners. Community based organizations report that some of the City's most
vulnerable children - including English language learners, children with
special needs, and foster children - are sometimes told that five-year-
olds are not required to go to school and are turned away. This indi-
cates that some of the city's neediest children may not be getting the
early start they need for success.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
This is a new bill.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on July 1 next succeeding the date on which
it shall become law.

S7015-2011 Text

                      S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
  ________________________________________________________________________

                                    7015

                              I N  SENATE

                               April 20, 2012
                                 ___________

  Introduced  by  Sens.  FLANAGAN, GOLDEN, LANZA -- read twice and ordered
    printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee  on  Educa-
    tion

  AN  ACT to amend the education law, in relation to authorizing the board
    of education of the city school district of the city of  New  York  to
    require  minors who are five years old to attend kindergarten instruc-
    tion

    THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
  BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


    Section  1. Paragraph c of subdivision 2 of section 3205 of the educa-
  tion law, as added by chapter 546 of the laws of  1987,  is  amended  to
  read as follows:

    c. The board of education of the Syracuse city school district AND THE
  BOARD  OF  EDUCATION OF THE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK
  [is] ARE hereby authorized to require minors who are five years  of  age
  on or before December first to attend kindergarten instruction. However,
  the provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to:

    (i)  Minors whose parents elect not to enroll their children in school
  until the following September.
    (ii) Students enrolled in non-public schools or in home instruction.
    S 2. This act shall take effect on the first of July  next  succeeding
  the date on which it shall have become a law.





   EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                        [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                             LBD15317-01-2