SB-0492, As Passed Senate, October 16, 2013

SUBSTITUTE FOR

SENATE BILL NO. 492

     A bill to amend 1976 PA 451, entitled

"The revised school code,"

by amending section 1147 (MCL 380.1147), as amended by 2012 PA 198.

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

     Sec. 1147. (1) A child who is a resident of a school district

that does not provide kindergarten and who is at least 5 years of

age on the first day of enrollment of the school year may attend

school in the school district.

     (2) In a school district that provides kindergarten, until the

2013-2014 school year, a child who is a resident of the school

district may enroll in the kindergarten if the child is at least 5

years of age on December 1 of the school year of enrollment.

Subject to subsection (3), for the 2013-2014 school year, a child

who resides in the school district may enroll in kindergarten if

the child is at least 5 years of age on November 1, 2013. Subject

to subsection (3), for the 2014-2015 school year, a child who

resides in the school district may enroll in kindergarten if the

child is at least 5 years of age on October 1, 2014. Subject to

subsection (3), beginning with the 2015-2016 school year, a child

who resides in the school district may enroll in kindergarten if

the child is at least 5 years of age on September 1 of the school

year of enrollment.

     (3) If a child residing in the school district or a child

eligible to enroll in and be counted in membership in the school

district under section 105 or 105c of the state school aid act of

1979, MCL 388.1705 and 388.1705c, is not 5 years of age on the

enrollment eligibility date specified in subsection (2), but will

be 5 years of age not later than December 1 of a school year, the

parent or legal guardian of that child may enroll the child in

kindergarten for that school year if the parent or legal guardian

notifies the school district in writing not later than June 1

before the beginning of the school year that he or she intends to

enroll the child in kindergarten . If a child described in this

subsection becomes a resident of the school district after June 1,

the child's parent or legal guardian may enroll the child in

kindergarten for that school year if the parent or legal guardian

submits this written notification to the school district not later

than August 1 before the beginning of that school year. for that

school year. A school district that receives this written

notification may make a recommendation to the parent or legal

guardian of a child described in this subsection that the child is

not ready to enroll in kindergarten due to the child's age or other

factors. However, regardless of this recommendation, the parent or

legal guardian retains the sole discretion to determine whether or

not to enroll the child in kindergarten under this subsection.

     (4) The ages prescribed in this section for a child's

eligibility for enrollment in a school district also apply to a

child's eligibility to enroll in a public school academy.

     (5) If a school district or public school academy enrolls any

children in kindergarten for a school year under subsection (3),

the school district or public school academy shall notify the

department of the number of those children enrolled by not later

than December 31 of that school year.