SB 597

Under current law, a child may not be admitted to four-year-old kindergarten,

five-year-old kindergarten, or first grade unless the child is four years old, five years

old, or six years old, respectively, on or before September 1 of the school year.

However, current law also requires school boards to prescribe procedures, conditions,

and standards for early admission (early admission policy) to four-year-old

kindergarten, five-year-old kindergarten, and first grade, and provides an

exception to the minimum age requirements for children admitted in accordance

with a school board's early admission policy. Current law also specifies that for

purposes of counting pupils enrolled in schools or school districts, a pupil enrolled in

four-year-old kindergarten, five-year-old kindergarten, or first grade may only be

counted if the pupil satisfies the minimum age set by law or an age allowed under

a school board's early admission policy.

This bill creates an exception to the minimum age requirements for admission

to four-year-old kindergarten, five-year-old kindergarten, or first grade for private

schools participating in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program, Racine Parental

Choice Program, or the Wisconsin Statewide Parental Choice Program. The bill

authorizes the governing body of a private school participating in a parental choice

program to establish an early admission policy for four-year-old kindergarten,

five-year-old kindergarten, and first grade. Under the bill, a child who is admitted

in accordance with a governing body's early admission policy may be counted as a

pupil enrolled in the private school.