Senate Passes School Entrance Bill

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Under a bill that has passed the Kentucky Senate Thursday by a 33-2 vote, children who are 5 years old by August 1st would be allowed to enter kindergarten. The legislation would change the date students must be 5 from October 1st to August 1st, but it would, however, allow parents or guardians of exceptional and gifted children who are younger than 5 to petition their school district's board to make exceptions. The bill also requires students to enter school if they will be 6 years old by August 1st rather than by October 1st. Senator Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon, says that, under an amendment to the bill, it would not take effect until the 2017-2018 school year.