NY State Senate Bill 2021-S8227

Senate Bill S8227

2021-2022 Legislative Session

Directs a study on the feasibility of adjusting the compulsory attendance age of minors attending full time instruction

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Feb 03, 2022	referred to education

2021-S8227 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A8875
Current Committee:: Senate Education
Law Section:: Education Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §305, Ed L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2019-2020: S5863, A7559
2023-2024: S5453, A3819

2021-S8227 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Directs a study on the feasibility of adjusting the compulsory attendance age of minors attending full time instruction; on or before July 1, 2023.

2021-S8227 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S8227

SPONSOR: JACKSON
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the education law, in relation to directing a study on
the feasibility of adjusting the compulsory attendance age of minors
attending full time instruction

 
PURPOSE::

Directs a study on the feasibility of adjusting the compulsory attend-
ance age of minors attending full-time instruction

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS::

Section 1 adds a new subdivision 60 to Section 305 of Education Law that
directs the commissioner of the state department of education to conduct
a study regarding the feasibility of adjusting the compulsory attendance
age for instruction.

Section 2 sets the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION::

Children who are four when they begin Kindergarten are often too young
developmentally for a kindergarten education program and struggle
academically as a result. The negative impact of having a poor start to
their education may be long lasting and can affect their future academic
progress.

This legislation requires the commissioner of the New York State Educa-
tion Department to study the feasibility of adjusting the age a minor is
required to be in order to begin attending school. In New York State,
children are not required by law to attend school until age six and
currently must turn six before December 1 st.

Though New York State law states that children must begin school by age
six, most school districts provide a kindergarten program to five year-
olds or children about to turn five. Many children who turn five after
September 1 st are not as ready for school developmentally, as compared
to children who turn five before September 1st and, as a result, suffer
long-term educational challenges.

Studying the ability of the state to shift the age requirements will
help state education officials anticipate the needs and challenges of
bringing starting ages in line with our present understanding of educa-
tional development.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY::

2019-2020: S.5863-A - vetoed by the Governor/A.7559-A - vetoed by the
Governor  
STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE::

This act shall take effect immediately.

2021-S8227 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8227
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 3, 2022
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. JACKSON -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to directing a  study  on
   the  feasibility  of adjusting the compulsory attendance age of minors
   attending full time instruction
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 305 of the education law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 60 to read as follows:
   60.  ON  OR  BEFORE JULY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-THREE, THE COMMIS-
 SIONER SHALL CONDUCT A STUDY ON THE FEASIBILITY OF ADJUSTING THE COMPUL-
 SORY ATTENDANCE AGE FOR WHEN MINORS SHALL ATTEND FULL  TIME  INSTRUCTION
 AND  DELIVER  A REPORT OF THE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON SUCH
 FINDINGS TO THE GOVERNOR, THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, AND THE
 SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL CONSULT WITH  EDUCATORS,
 PARENTS,  AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO CONDUCT A STUDY WHICH SHALL INCLUDE,
 BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
   (A) THE SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL,  AND  EDUCATIONAL  APPROPRIATENESS  OF  THE
 STATE'S COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE AGE FOR WHEN MINORS SHALL ATTEND FULL TIME
 INSTRUCTION;
   (B)  THE  APPROPRIATENESS  AND  FEASIBILITY  OF  ADJUSTING  THE AGE OF
 REQUIRED ATTENDANCE TO START SCHOOL IN NEW  YORK  STATE  TO  MINORS  WHO
 BECOME  FIVE  YEARS  OF  AGE  AFTER THE FIRST OF SEPTEMBER IN ANY SCHOOL
 YEAR; AND
   (C) THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND  SERVICES  AVAILABLE  TO  MINORS  WHO
 WOULD OTHERWISE BE ENROLLED IN PREKINDERGARTEN PURSUANT TO AN ADJUSTMENT
 IN THE STATE'S COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE AGE.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD14204-01-2

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