HOUSE BILL No. 4697
April 24, 1997, Introduced by Reps. Jelinek, Brackenridge, DeVuyst, Scranton, Godchaux, Middleton, Goschka, Fitzgerald, Byl, LaForge, Rocca, Jansen, Dalman, Oxender, Jellema and Hammerstrom and referred to the Committee on Education. A bill to amend 1976 PA 451, entitled "The revised school code," by amending section 1147 (MCL 380.1147). THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT: 1 Sec. 1147. (1) A person, resident of CHILD WHO RESIDES IN 2 a school district not maintaining a kindergarten and WHO IS at 3 least 5 years of age on the first day of enrollment of the school 4 year , shall have a right to MAY attend school in the 5 district. 6 (2) In a school district where provision is made for THAT 7 PROVIDES kindergarten, work, a child , resident of WHO 8 RESIDES IN the SCHOOL district , is entitled to MAY enroll in 9 the kindergarten if the child is at least 5 years of age on 10 December 1 of the school year of enrollment. FOR THE 1997-1998 11 SCHOOL YEAR, A CHILD WHO RESIDES IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT MAY 02902'97 TAV 2 1 ENROLL IN KINDERGARTEN IF THE CHILD IS AT LEAST 5 YEARS OF AGE ON 2 NOVEMBER 1, 1997. FOR THE 1998-1999 SCHOOL YEAR, A CHILD WHO 3 RESIDES IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT MAY ENROLL IN KINDERGARTEN IF THE 4 CHILD IS AT LEAST 5 YEARS OF AGE ON OCTOBER 1, 1998. FOR THE 5 1999-2000 SCHOOL YEAR AND EACH SUCCEEDING SCHOOL YEAR, A CHILD 6 WHO RESIDES IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT MAY ENROLL IN KINDERGARTEN IF 7 THE CHILD IS AT LEAST 5 YEARS OF AGE ON SEPTEMBER 1 OF THE SCHOOL 8 YEAR OF ENROLLMENT. 9 (3) IF THE PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN OF A CHILD RESIDING IN 10 THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WHO IS NOT 5 YEARS OF AGE ON THE DATE SPECI- 11 FIED IN SUBSECTION (2), BUT WHO WILL BE 5 YEARS OF AGE NOT LATER 12 THAN DECEMBER 1 OF THE SCHOOL YEAR OF ENROLLMENT, WANTS TO ENROLL 13 THE CHILD IN KINDERGARTEN BEFORE THE SCHOOL YEAR IN WHICH THE 14 CHILD IS ELIGIBLE FOR KINDERGARTEN UNDER SUBSECTION (2), THE 15 PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN MAY APPLY FOR A WAIVER UNDER THIS 16 SUBSECTION. TO OBTAIN A WAIVER, THE PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN 17 SHALL APPLY TO THE PRINCIPAL OF THE SCHOOL IN WHICH THE CHILD 18 WOULD ENROLL, USING AN APPLICATION FORM OBTAINED FROM THE PRINCI- 19 PAL, NOT LATER THAN MAY 1 PRECEDING THE SCHOOL YEAR FOR WHICH 20 ENROLLMENT IS SOUGHT. UPON RECEIPT OF THE APPLICATION, THE PRIN- 21 CIPAL SHALL FORM A COMMITTEE CONSISTING OF A SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR 22 AND 2 TEACHERS TO EVALUATE THE CHILD'S KINDERGARTEN READINESS. 23 THE COMMITTEE SHALL ADMINISTER TO THE CHILD A SKILLS LEVEL 24 ASSESSMENT COMMONLY USED IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR EVALUATING 25 KINDERGARTEN READINESS AND SHALL CONDUCT AN INTERVIEW WITH THE 26 CHILD AND THE CHILD'S PARENTS OR LEGAL GUARDIAN. NOT LATER THAN 27 JULY 1 PRECEDING THE SCHOOL YEAR FOR WHICH ENROLLMENT IS SOUGHT, 02902'97 3 1 THE COMMITTEE SHALL NOTIFY THE PARENTS OR LEGAL GUARDIAN OF ITS 2 DECISION OF WHETHER OR NOT TO GRANT THE WAIVER. THE DECISION OF 3 THE COMMITTEE IS FINAL. 4 (4) In a school district which THAT PROVIDES KINDERGARTEN 5 AND has semiannual promotions, a child , resident of WHO 6 RESIDES IN the district , is entitled to MAY enroll in kinder- 7 garten for the second semester if the child is at least 5 years 8 of age on March 1 of the year of enrollment. 9 (5) THE AGES PRESCRIBED IN THIS SECTION FOR A CHILD'S ELIGI- 10 BILITY FOR ENROLLMENT IN A SCHOOL DISTRICT ALSO APPLY TO A 11 CHILD'S ELIGIBILITY TO ENROLL IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL ACADEMY. 02902'97 Final page. TAV