A bill pushing back the enrollment eligibility date for kindergarten reached the halfway point in the legislature.

 

On a 62-7 vote, Representatives passed House Bill 1174, which changes the kindergarten enrollment eligibility date.

 

Starting in 2021, HB 1174 would move the cutoff date for kindergarten enrollment from September 1 to August 1 thus requiring any child enrolling in the earliest grade level in South Dakota schools to be 5-years old by August 1, whereas students previously could begin the school year at 4-years-old as long as they turned 5 by September 1.

 

“We need those students to be more mature,” Rep. Roger Chase, the bill’s prime sponsor, told fellow Representatives. “Every student that starts (kindergarten) is five-years-old and ready to go and ready to learn.”

 

ASBSD is monitoring the bill, which now moves to Senate Education for debate and review on Tuesday, February 25.

 

For updates on this bill and others during the 2020 legislative session, check the ASBSD Blog and Bill Tracker page.