SB65: SB65 Education; mandatory kindergarten for all children prior to entering into first grade; provide

Right now, Georgia law lets local school systems offer full-day kindergarten but does not require every child to attend it before first grade. This substitute bill changes that policy by declaring that all children must attend a full-day kindergarten program for one school year before enrolling in first grade, and it requires local school systems to offer that program rather than merely allowing it. The bill also lowers the compulsory attendance age trigger, so a child enrolled 20 or more school days in a Georgia public school before turning six, instead of seven, becomes subject to compulsory attendance rules. The changes would not take effect automatically. Under Section 3, the law only becomes effective once the General Assembly passes a specific budget line item funding it, meaning the mandate is contingent on future state appropriations.

• Changes state policy from allowing full-day kindergarten to requiring all children to attend it for one school year before first grade (Code Section 20-2-151).
• Requires every local school system to offer a full-day kindergarten program instead of leaving that decision optional.
• Lowers the age at which a child becomes subject to compulsory school attendance rules after 20+ school days of enrollment, from before their seventh birthday to before their sixth birthday (Code Section 20-2-150).
• Keeps the existing kindergarten eligibility rule that a child must turn five by September 1 to enroll in a state-supported kindergarten program.
• Delays the entire law from taking effect until the General Assembly passes a specific funding line item for it in a General Appropriations Act.
• Repeals any existing state laws that conflict with these new requirements.

Families with young children approaching kindergarten age, local school systems that must now offer full-day kindergarten, the State Board of Education, which sets related guidelines, and the General Assembly, which must approve specific funding before the mandate takes effect.

If funded, families would no longer have the option to skip full-day kindergarten before first grade, and school districts without existing full-day programs would need to create them. Because the law only kicks in with a specific appropriation, its practical effect depends entirely on future state budget decisions.

• Section 1 amends Code Section 20-2-150 so children enrolled 20 or more school days become subject to compulsory attendance rules before age six instead of age seven.
• Section 2 amends Code Section 20-2-151 to require local school systems to offer full-day kindergarten and to state it is now official policy that all children attend it for one year before first grade.
• Section 2 defines a full-day kindergarten program as at least four and a half hours of daily classroom instruction over a 180-day school year, or an equivalent set by the State Board of Education.
• Section 2 keeps the existing rule that a child must turn five by September 1 to be eligible for a state-supported kindergarten program.
• Section 3 makes the entire Act's effectiveness contingent on the General Assembly passing a specific budget appropriation naming this Act.
• Section 4 repeals any conflicting state laws.

1. 2026-01-12Senate Recommitted (Senate)
2. 2025-03-04Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
3. 2025-03-03Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
4. 2025-02-03Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
5. 2025-01-30Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Derek Mallow (D, SD-002)Primary sponsor
• Billy Hickman (R, SD-004)
• Jason Esteves (D, SD-035)
• Freddie Sims (D, SD-012)
• Carden Summers (R, SD-013)

• kindergarten
• public education
• school attendance
• education funding
• Georgia schools