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


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 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,



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 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.


































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