1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to education; modifying compulsory education 
  1.3             requirements for children under the age of seven; 
  1.4             amending Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 120.101, 
  1.5             subdivision 5. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 120.101, 
  1.8   subdivision 5, is amended to read: 
  1.9      Subd. 5.  [AGES AND TERMS.] (a) For the 1988-1989 school 
  1.10  year and the school years thereafter, every child between seven 
  1.11  and 16 years of age shall receive instruction for at least the 
  1.12  number of days each year required under subdivision 5b.  For the 
  1.13  2000-2001 school year and later school years, every child 
  1.14  between seven and 18 years of age shall receive instruction for 
  1.15  at least the number of days each year required under subdivision 
  1.16  5b.  Every child under the age of seven who is enrolled in a 
  1.17  half-day kindergarten, or a full-day kindergarten program on 
  1.18  alternate days, or other kindergarten programs shall receive 
  1.19  instruction at least equivalent to half of each day for the 
  1.20  number of days each year set out in subdivision 5b.  Except as 
  1.21  provided in subdivision 5a, a parent may withdraw a child under 
  1.22  the age of seven from enrollment at any time. 
  1.23     (b) Once a child under the age of seven is enrolled in a 
  1.24  public school, the child is subject to compulsory attendance 
  1.25  law, except that a parent or guardian may withdraw the child 
  2.1   from enrollment only for good cause determined by the school 
  2.2   board or its designee.  The school district must notify a parent 
  2.3   who enrolls a child under this paragraph of the consequences of 
  2.4   the enrollment.  In the case of a dispute between a parent and 
  2.5   the school district concerning withdrawal, a neutral third-party 
  2.6   facilitator must be involved in resolving the dispute.  A child 
  2.7   under the age of seven who is withdrawn from enrollment is no 
  2.8   longer subject to compulsory attendance law.