The Senate Committee on Education and Youth offered the following
substitute to SB 65:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
elementary and secondary education, so as to provide for mandatory kindergarten for all
children prior to entering into first grade; to provide for related matters; to provide for
contingent effectiveness; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to elementary and
secondary education, is amended in Code Section 20-2-150, relating to eligibility for
enrollment for educational programs, by revising subsection (c) as follows:
"(c) All children enrolled for 20 school days or more in the public schools of this state
prior to their <del>seventh</del> <ins>sixth</ins> birthday shall become subject to all of the provisions of this
article, the provisions of Code Sections 20-2-690 through 20-2-701, and the rules and
regulations of the State Board of Education relating to compulsory school attendance even
though they have not attained <del>seven</del> <ins>six</ins> years of age."
SECTION 2.
Said chapter is further amended in Code Section 20-2-151, relating to general and career
education programs, by revising paragraph (1) of subsection (b) as follows:
"(1)(A) All local school systems <del>may</del> <ins>shall</ins> offer a full-day kindergarten program. For
purposes of this subsection, the term 'full-day kindergarten program' means a student
is provided classroom instruction for a minimum of four and one-half hours daily for
a 180 day school year, or the equivalent thereof as determined in accordance with State
Board of Education guidelines.
(B) It is the policy of this state that <ins>all children shall attend a full-day kindergarten
program for one school year prior to enrolling in first grade and that</ins> the purposes of <del>the
kindergarten</del> <ins>such</ins> program shall be to provide all children with an equal opportunity
to become prepared for a successful first grade experience and to acquire the foundation
for academic progress throughout the students' educational careers. To be eligible for
enrollment in a state supported kindergarten program, a child must attain the age of five
by September 1, except as otherwise provided by subsection (b) of Code Section
20-2-150;"
SECTION 3.
This Act shall become effective only upon the effective date of a specific appropriation of
funds for purposes of this Act, as expressed in a line item making specific reference to such
Act in a General Appropriations Act enacted by the General Assembly.
SECTION 4.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.