Enrolled Copy H.B. 517
1 HALF-DAY KINDERGARTEN AMENDMENTS
2024 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Trevor Lee Senate Sponsor: Todd D. Weiler
2
3 LONG TITLE
4 General Description:
5 This bill amends provisions regarding half-day kindergarten to ensure that a student
6 attending half-day kindergarten receives instruction in all of the kindergarten core
7 competencies.
8 Highlighted Provisions:
9 This bill:
10 ▸ amends provisions regarding half-day kindergarten to ensure that a student attending
11 half-day kindergarten receives instruction that meets minimum standards for half-day
12 kindergarten that the State Board of Education sets;
13 ▸ requires a local education agency governing board to:
14 ● inform parents of the availability of the half-day kindergarten option; and
15 ● provide a designated half-day kindergarten class when half-day enrollment reaches a
16 certain threshold; and
17 ▸ makes technical and conforming changes.
18 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
19 None
20 Other Special Clauses:
21 This bill provides a special effective date.
22 Utah Code Sections Affected:
23 AMENDS:
24 53G-7-203, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2023, Chapters 347, 467
25
26 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
27 Section 1. Section 53G-7-203 is amended to read:
28 53G-7-203 . Kindergartens -- Establishment -- Funding -- Assessment.
H.B. 517 Enrolled Copy
29 (1) Kindergartens are an integral part of the state's public education system.
30 (2) (a) Each LEA governing board shall provide kindergarten classes free of charge for
31 kindergarten children residing within the district or attending the charter school.
32 (b) Each LEA governing board shall[ ] :
33 (i) provide a half-day kindergarten option for a student that comprises the minimum
34 standards for half-day kindergarten that the state board establishes, in accordance
35 with Subsection (4)(a)(iii), if the student's parent requests a half-day option[.] ; and
36 (ii) (A) inform parents of the availability of the option to register for a designated
37 full-curriculum half-day kindergarten option at the time of all kindergarten
38 registration, by email, posters, or other announcements when a parent requests
39 kindergarten registration; and
40 (B) provide the option to register for a designated half-day kindergarten option at
41 the time of registration;
42 (iii) provide a dedicated kindergarten class specifically designated as a half-day
43 kindergarten class when enrollment of half-day kindergarten students at an
44 individual school or a regional school exceeds a minimum of 18 students;
45 (iv) when enrollment of half-day kindergarten students at an individual school
46 exceeds a minimum of 18 students, designate the school as a half-day
47 kindergarten provider for the improvement of recruiting teachers that prefer
48 half-day teaching;
49 (v) inform parents regarding the additional educational resources and opportunities
50 available to parents who select the half-day kindergarten option; and
51 (vi) ensure that a half-day kindergarten student who is registered in a class that
52 includes full-day kindergarten students receives instruction that at least meets the
53 minimum standards for half-day kindergarten that the state board establishes, in
54 accordance with Subsection (4)(a)(iii).
55 (c) Nothing in this Subsection (2):
56 (i) allows an LEA governing board to require a student to participate in a full-day
57 kindergarten program;
58 (ii) modifies the non-compulsory status of kindergarten under Title 53G, Chapter 6,
59 Part 2, Compulsory Education; or
60 (iii) requires a student who only attends a half day of kindergarten to participate in
61 dual enrollment under Section 53G-6-702.
62 (3) Kindergartens established under Subsection (2) shall receive state money under Title
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Enrolled Copy H.B. 517
63 53F, Public Education System -- Funding.
64 (4) (a) The state board shall:
65 (i) develop and collect data from a kindergarten assessment that the board selects by
66 rule;[ and]
67 (ii) make rules, in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative
68 Rulemaking Act, regarding the administration of and reporting regarding the
69 assessment described in Subsection (4)(a)(i)[.] ; and
70 (iii) establish minimum standards for half-day kindergarten.
71 (b) An LEA shall:
72 (i) administer the assessment described in Subsection (4)(a) to each kindergarten
73 student; and
74 (ii) report to the state board the results of the assessment described in Subsection
75 (4)(b)(i) in relation to each kindergarten student in the LEA.
76 (5) Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, the state board shall require LEAs to report
77 average daily membership for all kindergarten students who attend kindergarten on a
78 schedule that is equivalent in length to the schedule for grades 1 through 3 with the
79 October 1 data described in Section 53F-2-302.
80 Section 2. Effective date.
81 This bill takes effect on July 1, 2024.
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Statutes affected: Introduced: 53G-7-203
Enrolled: 53G-7-203
Amended: 53G-7-203