California legislators are considering a bill that would make kindergarten mandatory for children.
Senate Bill 767—which would require children to have completed one year of kindergarten before being admitted into first grade, beginning with the 2024–25 school year—is set for a May 18 hearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee.
The bill previously passed the state Senate Education Committee April 26 on a 6–1 vote.
Currently, children in California are only required to attend school once they turn 6. Until then, parents can choose whether to enroll their children in preschool or kindergarten.
Senator Susan Rubio (D-Balwin Park), who introduced the bill in February, said the policy aimed to close the state’s achievement gap, because children who skip kindergarten may have difficulty catching up to their peers once they begin first grade….