Education Program

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2005 Enacted Legislation

Indiana

SB 231

Relates to the kindergarten enrollment date; provides that a child must be at least five years of age on August 1 of the 2006-2007 school year or a subsequent school year to enroll in a school corporation's kindergarten program for that year. (Prior law provided that a child must be at least five years of age on July 1.)

2004 Enacted Legislation

Alaska
HB 338

Amends the required age of a child for school attendance; provides that a child who is six years of age on or before Sept. 1 following the beginning of the school year, and who is under the age of 20 and has not completed the 12th grade, is of school age.

Illinois

SB 2918

Amends the School Code; increases the compulsory school age from 16 to 17 years of age, with exceptions; provides that certain provisions that apply to truant officers apply to the regional superintendent of schools or his or her designee in a school district that does not have a truant officer; makes changes concerning the compliance procedure for people who fail to send a child to school; allows certain students to enroll in graduation incentives programs; lists programs that qualify as graduation incentives programs; and provides for reimbursement and funding for programs.

Kansas

HB 2795

Allows students age 16 or 17 to be exempt from compulsory attendance requirements if the student is regularly enrolled in a school and is concurrently enrolled in a postsecondary educational institution; makes provisions applicable to children from and after July 1, 1997.

Kentucky

HB 10

Provides that an exemption from compulsory student attendance may be granted to: 1) a child certified by specified professionals to have a chronic physical condition that prevents or renders inadvisable attendance at school, and which is unlikely to improve substantially within a year; or 2) a student with a disability may be granted exemption if the student's individual education plan specifies that his or her placement in home or hospital is the least restrictive environment.

Nebraska

LB 868

Changes the mandatory ages for compulsory education beginning in the 2005-06 school year.  Children will be required to attend school if they will reach the age of 6 by Jan. 1 of the current school year unless they are attending an alternative education program that will allow them to enter the first grade the following school year; provides that children also must attend through the age of 17 unless they have obtained a diploma, have completed an alternative education program or have reached the age of 16 and the parent or guardian has signed a waiver form; assumes the bill will result in a one-time increase in the number of children in kindergarten in the 2005-06 school year; and requires children who will turn age 6 by Jan.1 of the next year to start school in the current year. 

New York

AB 1892

Provides that each school district shall have the power to require minors from 16 to 17 years of age to attend full time day instruction.

Virginia

HB 1326

Strengthens the mechanisms for enforcement of the compulsory school attendance law; removes the restriction on the court's use of contempt power in enforcing compulsory school attendance and parental responsibility provisions; and clarifies and reinforces the court's authority to order the child or the parent, or both, into programs, such as extended day programs and summer school or other educational programs and treatment, such as counseling.