NY State Senate Bill 2025-S1496

Senate Bill S1496

2025-2026 Legislative Session

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

download bill text pdf

Current 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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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 10, 2025	referred to education

2025-S1496 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Education
Law Section:: Education, Commissioner of
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2019-2020: S5863
2021-2022: S8227
2023-2024: S5453

2025-S1496 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Directs a study on the feasibility of adjusting the compulsory attendance age of minors attending full time instruction; requires report and recommendations on or before July 1, 2027.

2025-S1496 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S1496

SPONSOR: FAHY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act directing a study on the feasibility of adjusting the compulsory
attendance age of minors attending full time instruction; and providing
for the repeal of such provisions upon the expiration thereof

 
PURPOSE:

The purpose of this bill is to examine the feasibility of changing the
age in which children are required to start attending school full time.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1 requires the Commissioner of Education to conduct a study on
adjusting the compulsory attendance age for when a child must attend
full-time instruction and deliver a report of the findings and recommen-
dations to the Governor, Temporary President of the Senate, and Speaker
of the Assembly on or before July 1, 2025. The Commissioner must consult
with educators, parents, and other stakeholders when conducting such a

study.

Section 2 is the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Children who are four when they begin kindergarten are often develop-
mentally too young for a kindergarten education program and, as a
result, struggle academically. The negative impact of having a poor
start to their education may be long-lasting and can affect their future
academic progress. Under New York State law, a child who becomes six
years old on or before December 1st must attend full-time instruction.
Though New York State law states that children must begin school by age
six, most school districts provide a kindergarten program to children
who are five years old or about to turn five years old. Many children
who turn five after September 1st are not as developmentally ready for
school compared to children who turn five before September 1St and, as a
result, suffer long-term educational challenges. This legislation
requires the Commissioner of Education to conduct a study on the feasi-
bility of adjusting the compulsory attendance age.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2022: A.8875 (Fahy)- Referred to Education 2019: A.7559-A (Fahy)-Vetoed
by the Governor Memo. 186

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately and shall be deemed repealed on
December 31, 2026

2025-S1496 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   1496
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 10, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  FAHY  --  read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
 
 AN ACT directing a study on the feasibility of adjusting the  compulsory
   attendance  age of minors attending full time instruction; and provid-
   ing for the repeal of such provisions upon the expiration thereof

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. The commissioner of education shall conduct a study on the
 feasibility of adjusting the compulsory 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  tempo-
 rary  president  of  the  senate,  and the speaker of the assembly on or
 before July first, two thousand twenty-seven. The commissioner of educa-
 tion 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 and shall  expire  and  be
 deemed repealed December 31, 2027.
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD03465-01-5

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