REPORT TITLE:
School Attendance


DESCRIPTION:
Authorizes the BOE to determine the readiness standards for
kindergarten and first grade attendance.  (SD2)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        1272
THE SENATE                              S.B. NO.           S.D. 2
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
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."
 
17      SECTION 2.  Section 302A-1131, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
18 amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
 
19      "(a)  Except as authorized by section 302A-411, no child
 

 
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 1 shall attend any public school unless the child [will be] is at
 
 2 least six years of age [before January 1 of the school year:
 
 3 provided that:
 
 4      (1)  A child attending a school that convenes after the
 
 5           regular school schedule shall be at least six years of
 
 6           age on or before one hundred twenty-five days following
 
 7           the date the school shall convene; and
 
 8      (2)  The department may establish procedures and criteria to
 
 9           determine the psychological and physiological readiness
 
10           of children for public school and may grant an
 
11           exception in the case of a child who is found to be
 
12           ready.] on the first day of the school year as
 
13           designated by the board, or unless the child meets
 
14           readiness standards specifically determined by the
 
15           board."
 
16      SECTION 3.  The board shall submit a proposed implementation
 
17 plan twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of
 
18 2000.  The plan shall include procedures and criteria for
 
19 screening each child entering a public school; provided that once
 
20 the board establishes readiness standards, a parent shall have
 
21 the option of requesting a screening to determine if the child
 
22 shall be admitted.
 
23      SECTION 4.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed.
 

 
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 1 New statutory material is underscored.
 
 2      SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2001.