PRINTER'S NO. 777
No. 734 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY SCHWARTZ, AFFLERBACH, STOUT, WILLIAMS, MELLOW,
TARTAGLIONE, KASUNIC, KITCHEN AND BELAN, MARCH 17, 1997
REFERRED TO EDUCATION, MARCH 17, 1997
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
2 act relating to the public school system, including certain
3 provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
4 schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
5 laws relating thereto," further providing for kindergartens.
6 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
7 hereby enacts as follows:
8 Section 1. Section 503 of the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30,
9 No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, amended
10 September 21, 1959 (P.L.925, No.373) and October 21, 1965
11 (P.L.601, No.312), is amended to read:
12 Section 503. Kindergartens.--(a) The board of school
13 directors in [any school district may] all school districts
14 shall establish and maintain kindergartens [for children between
15 the ages of four and six years. When established, the].
16 Districts may establish age policy but may not deny kindergarten
17 to any child who is five years of age or older on the first day
18 of the school year. The kindergartens shall be an integral part
19 of the elementary school system of the district, and be kept
1 open for not less than two and one-half hours each day for the
2 full school term as provided in section 1501.
3 (b) The number of kindergartens in any one district shall be
4 fixed by the board of school directors, and shall be open during
5 the school year. Kindergartens shall be available to all
6 children in residence of the school district who are of the age
7 fixed by the board of school directors pursuant to subsection
8 (a) of this section.
9 [If the average attendance in any one kindergarten in any
10 district is ten or less for the school year, the school
11 directors shall, at the close of the school year, discontinue
12 the same.]
13 (c) The board of school directors shall appoint and assign a
14 sufficient number of teachers to such kindergartens, who shall
15 be certified in accordance with the rules and regulations
16 prescribed by the [Council of Basic Education.] State Board of
17 Education.
18 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 1997.
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