1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; compelling children under seven who enroll in first grade 
1.3 	in public school to remain enrolled;amending Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 
1.4 	120A.22, subdivisions 5, 6.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 120A.22, subdivision 5, is amended to 
1.7 	read:
1.8 		Subd. 5.Ages and terms. (a) Every child between seven and 16 years of age must 
1.9 	receive instruction. Every child under the age of seven who is enrolled in a half-day 
1.10 	kindergarten, or a full-day kindergarten program on alternate days, or other kindergarten 
1.11 	programs shall receive instruction. ~~Except as provided in subdivision 6, a parent may~~ 
1.12 	~~withdraw a child under the age of seven from enrollment at any time.~~
1.13 	(b) A school district by annual board action may require children subject to this 
1.14 	subdivision to receive instruction in summer school. A district that acts to require children 
1.15 	to receive instruction in summer school shall establish at the time of its action the criteria 
1.16 	for determining which children must receive instruction.

1.17 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for the 2008-2009 school year and 
1.18 	later.

1.19 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 120A.22, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
1.20 		Subd. 6.Children under seven. (a) Once a pupil under the age of seven is enrolled 
1.21 	in ~~kindergarten~~ first grade or a higher grade in a public school, the pupil is subject to the 
1.22 	compulsory attendance provisions of this chapter and section 120A.34, unless the board 
1.23 	of the district in which the pupil is enrolled has a policy that exempts children under 
2.1 	seven from this subdivision. This subdivision does not apply to a kindergartner under age 
2.2 	seven whose parent may withdraw the child for good cause after notifying the district. 
2.3 	A kindergartner under age seven who is withdrawn from school by the child's parent is 
2.4 	not subject to compulsory attendance under this section.
2.5 	~~(b) In a district in which children under seven are subject to compulsory attendance~~ 
2.6 	~~under this subdivision, paragraphs (c) to (e) apply.~~
2.7 	~~(c) A parent or guardian may withdraw the pupil from enrollment in the school for~~ 
2.8 	~~good cause by notifying the district. Good cause includes, but is not limited to, enrollment~~ 
2.9 	~~of the pupil in another school, as defined in subdivision 4, or the immaturity of the child.~~
2.10 	~~(d) When the pupil enrolls, the enrolling official must provide the parent or guardian~~ 
2.11 	~~who enrolls the pupil with a written explanation of the provisions of this subdivision.~~
2.12 	~~(e) A pupil under the age of seven who is withdrawn from enrollment in the public~~ 
2.13 	~~school under paragraph (c) is no longer subject to the compulsory attendance provisions~~ 
2.14 	~~of this chapter.~~
2.15 	~~(f)~~(b) In a district that had adopted a policy to exempt children under seven from 
2.16 	this subdivision, the district's chief attendance officer must keep the truancy enforcement 
2.17 	authorities supplied with a copy of the board's current policy certified by the clerk of 
2.18 	the board.

2.19 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for the 2008-2009 school year and 
2.20 	later.