The bill amends Section 16-28-4 of the Code of Alabama 1975 to establish new requirements for children's admission to public schools, specifically regarding kindergarten and first grade. It changes the minimum age for kindergarten admission from six to five years, requiring children to be five years old on or before September 1 or the start date of school in their district. Additionally, it stipulates that children must complete kindergarten or demonstrate readiness for first grade before being admitted to the first grade. The bill also allows for exceptions where underage children may be admitted to kindergarten or first grade under certain conditions, such as transferring from a kindergarten in another state or meeting specific readiness criteria set by the local board of education.

Furthermore, the bill introduces provisions for assessing first grade readiness, which will be determined by the State Board of Education through an approved assessment of essential developmental and physical skills. If a child does not meet the readiness criteria, they will be enrolled in kindergarten instead. The bill ensures that no public school system will lose teacher units as a result of these changes and clarifies that eligibility for special education services remains unaffected. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2024, and requires a two-thirds legislative vote to become effective without local board approval or funding appropriations.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 16-28-4