HB 1032: Early Enrollment Act; enact

Georgia law currently requires children to turn five by September 1 to enroll in kindergarten and six by September 1 to enroll in first grade, with limited exceptions. This bill, called the Early Enrollment Act, creates a new exception for children who have already completed pre-kindergarten or kindergarten at a qualifying private school but who are too young to meet those age cutoffs. These children could still enroll in kindergarten or first grade if they demonstrate readiness under new state guidelines. The bill directs the State Board of Education to set readiness guidelines by January 1, 2027, covering grades, test scores, teacher recommendations, and other factors, and to create a model policy local districts can use. Local boards of education must adopt their own early enrollment policy, including a request process for parents and an appeals process for denials, by July 1, 2027. The law would take effect July 1, 2026, and apply starting with the 2027-2028 school year.

• Creates a new early enrollment path in Georgia's kindergarten and first grade age eligibility law (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-150) for children who completed pre-K or kindergarten at a qualifying private school.
• Requires the State Board of Education to set statewide readiness guidelines by January 1, 2027, covering grades, standardized test scores, teacher recommendations, and other factors.
• Requires the State Board of Education to develop a model early enrollment policy that local school districts can adopt or adapt.
• Requires every local board of education to adopt its own early enrollment policy by July 1, 2027, including a way for parents to request early enrollment and to appeal a denial.
• Updates related kindergarten and first grade funding provisions (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-151) to cross-reference the new early enrollment exception.

Families whose children attended pre-kindergarten or kindergarten at a private school but are too young for public kindergarten or first grade under current age rules; local school districts and boards of education, which must write new policies; and the State Board of Education, which must set guidelines and a model policy.

Some young children who already completed a grade level at private school could move into the right public school grade instead of repeating material or waiting a year, but only if they pass a readiness process that varies by district policy and depends on guidelines the state has not yet written.

• Section 2 adds new subsection (b.1) to O.C.G.A. § 20-2-150 allowing early enrollment for children who completed pre-K or kindergarten at a qualifying private school if they demonstrate readiness.
• Section 2 requires the State Board of Education to establish readiness guidelines, including use of the existing first grade readiness assessment, no later than January 1, 2027.
• Section 2 requires local boards of education to adopt an early enrollment policy, with a parent request process and an appeal process for denials, by July 1, 2027.
• Section 3 updates the kindergarten and primary grades funding rules in O.C.G.A. § 20-2-151 to reference the new (b.1) exception to the standard age cutoffs.
• Section 4 sets the effective date as July 1, 2026, applying starting with the 2027-2028 school year.
• Section 1 gives the bill the short title the 'Early Enrollment Act.'

1. 2026-01-29House Second Readers (House)
2. 2026-01-28House First Readers (House)
3. 2026-01-27House Hopper (House)

• Sandra Scott (D, HD-076)Primary sponsor
• Kim Schofield (D, HD-063)
• Viola Davis (D, HD-087)
• Rhonda Burnough (D, HD-077)

• early enrollment
• kindergarten age requirements
• private school students
• public school policy
• Georgia education law