Senate Bill 1381 would phase in a Sept. 1 birthday cutoff date for kindergarteners, making sure the students are 5 when they start school. (The cutoff would be Nov. 1 in 2012; Oct. 1 in 2013; and Sept. 1 in 2014)
Proponents say many 4-year-olds can’t compete with children who are up to a year older, and that they have a hard time keeping up with the new rigors of kindergarten,
reports Jill Tucker of the Chronicle, who visited Oakland’s Thornhill Elementary School for the story.
The other advantage for the state is the estimated annual savings — about $700 million a year until the first group graduates from high school, Tucker reports. Half of the savings would be redirected to the state’s preschool program (though this might refer to the 3-hour preschool, rather than the full-day program that’s under threat).
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