H 3954 General Bill, By Hinson and Young-Brickell
 A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 59-65-10, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
 1976, RELATING TO THE RESPONSIBILITY OF A PARENT OR GUARDIAN TO SEND THEIR
 CHILD OR WARD TO SCHOOL OR KINDERGARTEN, SO AS TO REQUIRE FIVE-YEAR OLD
 CHILDREN TO ATTEND KINDERGARTEN, AND DELETE PROVISIONS WHICH MAKE FIVE-YEAR
 OLD KINDERGARTEN OPTIONAL UPON THE EXECUTION OF A WAIVER.

   04/10/97  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-81
   04/10/97  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public
                     Works HJ-81

TO AMEND SECTION 59-65-10, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE RESPONSIBILITY OF A PARENT OR GUARDIAN TO SEND THEIR CHILD OR WARD TO SCHOOL OR KINDERGARTEN, SO AS TO REQUIRE FIVE-YEAR OLD CHILDREN TO ATTEND KINDERGARTEN, AND DELETE PROVISIONS WHICH MAKE FIVE-YEAR OLD KINDERGARTEN OPTIONAL UPON THE EXECUTION OF A WAIVER.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Section 59-65-10 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Part II, Section 29C, Act 164 of 1993, is further amended to read:

"Section 59-65-10. (A) All parents or guardians shall cause their children or wards to attend regularly a public or private school or kindergarten of this State which has been approved by the State Board of Education or a member school of the South Carolina Independent Schools' Association or some similar organization, or a parochial, denominational, or church-related school, or other programs which have been approved by the State Board of Education, or the parent may elect to home-school their child or ward pursuant to Section 59-65-40, 59-65-45, and 59-65-47, from the school year in which the child or ward is five years of age before September first until the child or ward attains his seventeenth birthday or graduates from high school. A parent or guardian whose child or ward is not six years of age on or before the first day of September of a particular school year may elect for their child or ward not to attend kindergarten. For this purpose, the parent or guardian shall sign a written document making the election with the governing body of the school district in which the parent or guardian resides. The form of this written document must be prescribed by regulation of the Department of Education. Upon the written election being executed, that child or ward may not be required to attend kindergarten. Children attending a public school are required to adhere to all attendance regulations promulgated by the State Board of Education.

(B) Each school district shall provide transportation to and from public school for all pupils enrolled in public kindergarten classes who request the transportation. Regulations of the State Board of Education governing the operation of school buses shall apply."

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.