House Bill 1234: An Act that Mandates Kindergarten

Sponsor:
The Committee on Education at the request of the Governor.

Summary:
Bill creates mandatory kindergarten for all students. Compulsory attendance will start at age 5 instead of 7. While compulsory attendance nominally starts at age 6, all parents have an absolute right to waive attendance for their 6-year-old so he is not subject to compulsory attendance until age 7. HB 1234 eliminates this waiver, so the age of compulsory attendance would effectively drop from 7 to 5.

Status:

01/25/2006		First Read in House and Referred to House Education Committee.
02/07/2006		House Education Committee Hearing at 10:00 a.m. in Room 412
02/10/2006		House of Representatives, voted Do Pass Amended, 53-15.
02/10/2006		First Read in Senate and Referred to Senate Education Committee.
02/16/2006		Senate Education Committee Hearing, voted Do Pass Failed, 3-3.
02/21/2006		Senate Education Committee Hearing, voted Do Pass Failed, 3-4.
02/16/2006		Senate Education Committee Hearing, deferred to the 36th Legislative Day passed, 4-3.
02/22/2006		Recalled from Committee (Rule 7-7), Passed.
02/23/2006		Education Reconsidered, passed 5-0.
02/23/2006		Education Do Not Pass, passed 4-2.
02/23/2006		Motion to Strike the "not" failed 12-22.
02/28/2006		Hog housed into H.B. 1175, passed.
02/21/2006		Signed by Governor

HSLDA's Position:
Oppose.

Other Resources

Feb.-6-2006—South Dakota—Calls Needed to Oppose Change to Compulsory Attendance

Feb.-8-2006—South Dakota—Calls Needed to Stop Compulsory Attendance Age Decrease

Feb.-15-2006—South Dakota—Calls Needed to Stop Expansion of Compulsory Attendance

Feb.-23-2006—South Dakota—Calls Needed to Stop Compulsory Attendance Age Decrease

Mar.-1-2006—South Dakota—Last Chance to Stop Compulsory Attendance Bill

Bill Text (PDF)    (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)