Should the Kindergarten Cutoff Date Be Changed?

Proposed legislation that would change the kindergarten age requirements in Michigan would, if passed, have some financial fallout in Rochester and across Michigan.

The bills, which would require children be 5 years old by Sept. 1 to start kindergarten (right now they must be 5 by Dec. 1) will be considered Wednesday morning by the House Education Committee.

Superintendent Fred Clarke weighed in on the proposed laws during a recent Rochester Board of Education meeting, saying that they could cost the district about $1 million the year they are implemented.

At each board meeting, Clarke takes time to update board members on pending state legislation that would impact the district.

"Philosophically it makes sense; sometimes a 4-year-old is not able to handle kindergarten," Clarke said.

However, this year there were 147 kindergarten students with birthdays between Sept. 1 and Dec. 1; if those students had not been able to enroll, the district would have lost their per-pupil state funding.

"This has a lot of school districts up in arms," Clarke said. 

House Bills 4513 and 4514 are sponsored by Rep. Ray Franz, R-Onekama. Under the working bills, the parents of a student turning 5 between Sept. 2 and Dec. 1 could ask for a waiver from the school district. Representatives of the district would then meet to determine whether that student was ready for kindergarten.

Based on Census estimates, 21,000 kindergarteners will turn 5 between Sept. 2 and Dec. 1 during the 2012-13 school year, reducing state per-pupil expenditures by about $154 million.

Rochester Community Schools is implementing a full-day kindergarten curriculum next year.

Clarke said there has been some talk of a gradual implementation of the change: for example, during the first year the cutoff date could be Nov. 1, then Oct. 1 and finally Sept. 1.

"We're encouraged that people are listening and trying to understand this better," he said.

The House Education Committee meets at 9:15 a.m. Wednesday in Lansing. To view text of the legislation go to http://www.legislature.mi.gov/mileg.asp?page=Bills and search for the bills.