Senator Cleo Fields has touched a nerve in the state legislature because he wants required schooling for all students to begin at Kindergarten instead of first grade.
It doesn’t seem like a big deal, but it is, especially for those who are socially disadvantaged and may skip Kindergarten and start school at first grade, essentially one year behind.
Fields’ proposal is in SB10 and was reported out of the Senate Education Committee last week on a 5-1 vote.
Presently, school systems are required to provide full-day kindergarten programs for students five years old on or before September 30.
While the law requires systems to provide Kindergarten, parents are not required to send their children to Kindergarten because a student can enter the first grade at age six without Kindergarten if the student has passed an academic readiness screening set by the local school system.
Kindergarten is provided, but it is not compulsory. No school attendance is mandatory until a student turns seven years old.
Fields is looking at the fact that too many students exercise this option and are starting school much too late.
Field’s proposal is to roll back the age for compulsory school attendance from seven to five years old.
Fields makes the case that there are about 2,800 kids who do not attend Kindergarten in the state of Louisiana. He says early childhood education is a necessity. A brain is developed mostly in the ages from birth to 5 years of age.
Believe it or not, Fields has received scores of letters from parents who do not want the law changed. To accommodate them, the committee amended the bill to accept homeschooled students as compliant with the law. Students who attend non-public schools would also be accepted.
Still, there is resistance.
Sen. Beth Mizell, R-Franklinton, the Senate’s president pro tempore, said some children are not ready to attend Kindergarten at the age of 5.
Jessie Leger, the director of legislative affairs for Homeschool Louisiana, cited the 2009 Louisiana children’s code, which states that it is the parent’s responsibility to decide the “educational, moral and ethical training of the child.”
Senator Fields is not alone; others see the problem he’s trying to address.
Senator Katrina Jackson spoke for the bill saying children who may be immature would benefit from beginning school earlier and receiving extra care to catch up with the other children their age.
Locally, the problem is exacerbated because hundreds of Monroe City School students have begun first grade without Pre-school, Headstart, or Kindergarten, effectively starting school two to three years behind others.
The results are reflected in underperforming students when measures by state assessment exams.
The new rules, if passed by the legislature would take effect in the 2022-23 school year.
We think the proposed law will address a serious problem and, over time, increase the classroom performance of the underserved.
It should become law.
