February 6, 2007, Introduced by Senators CLARK-COLEMAN, CHERRY, CLARKE, JACOBS, GLEASON, SCOTT, HUNTER, BARCIA, ANDERSON, OLSHOVE, BRATER and SWITALSKI and referred to the Committee on Education.
A bill to amend 1976 PA 451, entitled
"The revised school code,"
by amending sections 1147 and 1561 (MCL 380.1147 and 380.1561),
section 1561 as amended by 1996 PA 339.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 1147. (1) A person, resident of a school
district not
maintaining
a kindergarten and at least 5 years of age on the first
day
of enrollment of the school year, shall have a right to attend
school
in the district.
(2)
In a school district where provision is made for
kindergarten
work, a child, resident of the district,
(1) A school district shall provide kindergarten. The length
of the school day for the kindergarten program shall be the same as
for other elementary grades provided by the school district.
(2) A child who resides in the school district is entitled to
enroll in the kindergarten if the child is at least 5 years of age
on December 1 of the school year of enrollment. In a school
district
which that has semiannual promotions, a child , resident
of
the district, who resides in
the school district is entitled to
enroll in kindergarten for the second semester if the child is at
least 5 years of age on March 1 of the year of enrollment.
Sec. 1561. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this section,
every parent, guardian, or other person in this state having
control
and charge of a child from the age of 6 5 to the child's
sixteenth birthday shall send that child to a public school during
the entire school year. The child's attendance shall be continuous
and consecutive for the school year fixed by the school district in
which the child is enrolled. In a school district that maintains
school during the entire calendar year and in which the school year
is divided into quarters, a child is not required to attend the
public school more than 3 quarters in 1 calendar year, but a child
shall not be absent for 2 or more consecutive quarters.
(2)
A child becoming 6 5 years of age before December 1 shall
be enrolled on the first school day of the school year in which the
child's
sixth fifth birthday occurs. A child becoming 6 5 years
of
age on or after December 1 shall be enrolled on the first school
day of the school year following the school year in which the
child's
sixth fifth birthday occurs.
(3) A child is not required to attend a public school in any
of the following cases:
(a) The child is attending regularly and is being taught in a
state approved nonpublic school, which teaches subjects comparable
to those taught in the public schools to children of corresponding
age and grade, as determined by the course of study for the public
schools of the district within which the nonpublic school is
located.
(b) The child is less than 9 years of age and does not reside
within 2-1/2 miles by the nearest traveled road of a public school.
If transportation is furnished for pupils in the school district of
the child's residence, this subdivision does not apply.
(c) The child is age 12 or 13 and is in attendance at
confirmation classes conducted for a period of 5 months or less.
(d) The child is regularly enrolled in a public school while
in attendance at religious instruction classes for not more than 2
class hours per week, off public school property during public
school hours, upon written request of the parent, guardian, or
person in loco parentis under rules promulgated by the state board.
(e) The child has graduated from high school or has fulfilled
all requirements for high school graduation.
(f) The child is being educated at the child's home by his or
her parent or legal guardian in an organized educational program in
the subject areas of reading, spelling, mathematics, science,
history, civics, literature, writing, and English grammar.
(4) For a child being educated at the child's home by his or
her parent or legal guardian, exemption from the requirement to
attend public school may exist under either subsection (3)(a) or
(3)(f), or both.