Bill Would Let Kids Start School Early Children Close To Sept. 1 Cutoff Could Take Enrollment Test

House Education Chairman Ron Black says he gets a lot of calls and letters from people whose children just miss the deadline for starting kindergarten.

“There’s a lot of frustration out there,” the Twin Falls Republican told the rest of the House Education Committee on Thursday. “We have moved the kindergarten starting date repeatedly.”

Idaho law allows children to start kindergarten if they have turned age 5 by Sept. 1. Attendance is not mandatory, but the Department of Education said every district has a program although some are just a few days per week.

A bill introduced in the Senate on Wednesday would make kindergartens compulsory and require children to attend.

At Black’s request, the committee introduced a bill allowing parents of children close to the Sept. 1 cutoff to ask the school district to test their child to see if he or she is ready for kindergarten.

Parents would have to pay $25 for the test.

Black’s bill requires the test to be requested at least 45 days before the start of the school year. Only children who turn age 5 in September, October, November and December of that school year would be considered, Black said.

He acknowledged that even with the change, not all parents will be satisfied with the cutoff date.

“No matter where you put it, some kid will be just missed,” he said.

The committee also introduced a proposal from Rep. Elaine Hofman, D-Pocatello, to create an Idaho coordinator for the Missing Children Clearing House. She said only Idaho, Utah and West Virginia don’t have a worker to field telephone calls and collect and disseminate information about missing children.

“Idaho is a haven for those who want to hide children,” she said.

Some committee members, however, seemed reluctant because Hofman said it would take $50,000 to fund the position.

She acknowledged it might be hard to get the cash this year because state finances are tight.

But, she said, “It’s a matter of what you decide is important.”