S 0149 General Bill, By McConnell, Elliott, Leventis and Reese
Summary: School districts, kindergarten or first grade; attendance age requirements; challenge tests, Students
    A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 59-63-25 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS A PARENT OR GUARDIAN WHOSE CHILD OR WARD WILL REACH THE AGE OF FOUR, FIVE, OR SIX BEFORE THE END OF DECEMBER OF A PARTICULAR SCHOOL YEAR MAY ELECT TO HAVE THAT CHILD BEGIN FOUR-YEAR-OLD KINDERGARTEN, FIVE-YEAR-OLD KINDERGARTEN, OR THE FIRST GRADE AS APPLICABLE IF IN THE PARENT'S OR GUARDIAN'S OPINION THE CHILD IS PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY READY TO BEGIN THAT GRADE, TO PROVIDE THAT BEGINNING IN SCHOOL YEAR 2000-2001 A CHILD WHOSE BIRTHDAY FALLS BEFORE THE END OF DECEMBER MAY TAKE A "CHALLENGE TEST" ADMINISTERED AND DEVELOPED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE CHILD IS INTELLECTUALLY PREPARED TO BEGIN KINDERGARTEN OR FIRST GRADE THAT YEAR AS MAY BE APPLICABLE, TO PROVIDE THAT THE AGE RESTRICTIONS OF SECTION 59-63-20 DO NOT APPLY TO A CHILD WHO PASSES THE "CHALLENGE TEST", TO PROVIDE THAT A SCHOOL DISTRICT IS ENTITLED TO STATE AID FOR ANY STUDENT WHO IS ENROLLED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF REGULATIONS TO ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM.
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12/16/98	Senate	Prefiled
12/16/98	Senate	Referred to Committee on Education
01/12/99	Senate	Introduced and read first time SJ-59
01/12/99	Senate	Referred to Committee on Education SJ-59