Assigned to ED & APPROP                                                                                                   FOR COMMITTEE

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Third Legislature, Second Regular Session

FACT SHEET FOR S.B. 1082

full-day kindergarten; instruction requirements

Purpose

Establishes instruction requirements for schools offering more than two and one-half hours of kindergarten instruction per day.

Background

Each school district that establishes a kindergarten program must offer half-day kindergarten that provides academically meaningful instruction in each of the academic standards adopted by the State Board of Education (SBE).  A school district that establishes a full-day kindergarten program must allow parents of kindergarten pupils to choose either half-day or full-day kindergarten instruction (A.R.S. § 15-703). A child is eligible for admission to kindergarten if the child reached the age of five before September 1 of the current school year, or January 1 at the school district governing board's discretion (A.R.S. § 15-821).

There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.

Provisions

1. Requires, if a school district or charter school offers more than two and one-half hours of voluntary kindergarten instruction to pupils under the age of six per day, that the instruction:

a) aligns with academic standards for kindergarten instruction prescribed by the SBE;

b) is academically meaningful;

c) emphasizes literacy;

d) provides active learning enrichment; and

e) incorporates play as an instructional strategy.

2. Becomes effective on the general effective date.

Prepared by Senate Research

January 16, 2018

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