FIRST REGULAR SESSION
95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES SHIVELY (Sponsor), SCAVUZZO, TODD, LAMPE, WALLACE, AULL, LIESE, QUINN AND SCHUPP (Co-sponsors).
2444L.01I D. ADAM CRUMBLISS, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
To repeal section 160.053, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof one new section relating to enrollment of pupils in public schools.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Section 160.053, RSMo, is repealed and one new section enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as section 160.053, to read as follows:
160.053. 1. If a school district maintains a kindergarten program, a child is eligible for admission to kindergarten and to the summer school session immediately preceding kindergarten, if offered, if the child reaches the age of five before the first day of August of the school year beginning in that calendar year or if the child is a military dependent who has successfully completed an accredited prekindergarten program or has attended an accredited kindergarten program in another state. A child is eligible for admission to first grade if the child reaches the age of six before the first day of August of the school year beginning in that calendar year or if the child is a military dependent who has successfully completed an accredited kindergarten program in another state.
2. Any kindergarten or grade one pupil beginning the school term and any pupil beginning summer school prior to a kindergarten school term in a metropolitan school district or an urban school district containing the greater part of the population of a city which has more than three hundred thousand inhabitants pursuant to section 160.054 or 160.055, or in a school district with an age requirement established by regulation under the provisions of subsection 3 of this section, and subsequently transferring to another school district in this state in which the child's birth date would preclude such child's eligibility for entrance shall be deemed eligible for attendance and shall not be required to meet the minimum age requirements. The receiving school district shall receive state aid for the child, notwithstanding the provisions of section 160.051.
3. Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, beginning in school year 2010-2011, any public school district may establish and enforce a regulation which requires that a child shall have attained the age of five for purposes of kindergarten and summer school prior to a kindergarten school term, and the age of six, for purposes of grade one, on or before any date between August first and October first of that year. The school district shall receive state aid for any child admitted into kindergarten, summer school prior to kindergarten, or grade one under this section, notwithstanding the provisions of section 160.051.
4. Any child who completes the kindergarten year shall not be required to meet the age requirements of a district for entrance into grade one.
[4.] 5. The provisions of this section relating to kindergarten instruction and state aid therefor shall not apply during any particular school year to those districts which do not provide kindergarten classes that year.
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