House Bill 0307
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida House of Representatives - 1999 HB 307
By Representative Diaz de la Portilla
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to school attendance; amending
3 s. 232.01, F.S.; revising provisions relating
4 to eligibility for enrollment in public
5 kindergartens; authorizing the enrollment of
6 certain children who are determined to be ready
7 for entrance into kindergarten; providing
8 eligibility requirements; providing school
9 district requirements; authorizing the state
10 board to adopt rules; providing an effective
11 date.
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13 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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15 Section 1. Paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (1) of
16 section 232.01, Florida Statutes, 1998 Supplement, are amended
17 to read:
18 232.01 School attendance.--
19 (1)(a)1. All children who have attained the age of 6
20 years or who will have attained the age of 6 years by February
21 1 of any school year or who are older than 6 years of age but
22 who have not attained the age of 16 years, except as
23 hereinafter provided, are required to attend school regularly
24 during the entire school term.
25 2.a. Children who will have attained the age of 5
26 years on or before September 1 of the school year are eligible
27 for admission to public kindergartens during that school year
28 under rules prescribed by the school board.
29 b. Children who will have attained the age of 5 years
30 after September 1 but before January 1 of the school year are
31 eligible to take the assessment of readiness for kindergarten
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Florida House of Representatives - 1999 HB 307
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1 which is included in the statewide assessment program. Upon
2 written request of a child's parent or guardian, the school
3 district must provide at least one opportunity for the child
4 to take the assessment of readiness for kindergarten. Any
5 child who is determined to be ready for entrance into
6 kindergarten, according to rules of the state board, is
7 eligible for admission to public kindergartens during that
8 school year. Any child who is determined not to be ready for
9 entrance into kindergarten, according to rules of the state
10 board, is subject to the admission requirements of
11 sub-subparagraph a. The state board may adopt rules to
12 implement the provisions of this sub-subparagraph.
13 3. Children who will have attained the age of 3 years
14 on or before September 1 of the school year are eligible for
15 admission to prekindergarten early intervention programs
16 during that school year as provided in s. 230.2305 or a
17 preschool program as provided in s. 228.061.
18 (b) Any child who has attained the age of 6 years on
19 or before September 1 of the school year and who has been
20 enrolled in a public school or who has attained the age of 6
21 years on or before September 1 and has satisfactorily
22 completed the requirements for kindergarten in a nonpublic
23 school from which the district school board accepts transfer
24 of academic credit, or who has been enrolled in a public
25 kindergarten under the provisions of sub-subparagraph (a)2.b.,
26 or who otherwise meets the criteria for admission or transfer
27 in a manner similar to that applicable to other grades, shall
28 progress according to the district's pupil progression plan.
29 However, nothing in this section shall authorize the state or
30 any school district to oversee or exercise control over the
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Florida House of Representatives - 1999 HB 307
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1 curricula or academic programs of nonpublic schools or home
2 education programs.
3 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 1999.
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6 HOUSE SUMMARY
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Revises provisions relating to eligibility for enrollment
8 in public kindergartens. Authorizes children who will
have attained the age of 5 years after September 1 but
9 before January 1 of the school year to take the
assessment of readiness for kindergarten upon written
10 request of the child's parent or guardian. Requires the
school district to provide at least one opportunity to
11 take such assessment. Authorizes the enrollment in public
kindergarten of any child determined to be ready for
12 entrance into kindergarten according to rules of the
state board. Authorizes the adoption of rules to
13 implement the provisions of the bill.
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