PIERRE, S.D. (KELO.com) — A bill that if approved would change the start date for kindergarten in South Dakota is on pause by the Senate Education Committee. House Bill 1174 would move the date to August 1 instead of September 1, making sure a child was at least five years old before they could begin kindergarten.
The bill has support from many kindergarten and first-grade teachers who say some children aren’t ready for school under the current requirements. Senator Jim Bolin voted yes on the bill.
“I don’t know if they’re going to be profound or not, but most of the research shows that when you start a little bit later, especially for males, it benefits them in the long run,” Bolin said.
Still, senators were concerned about the financial impacts the bill would have. Committee chair Blake Curd said the bill would shift costs to certain South Dakota parents who would need to hold out their children from kindergarten longer.
“We’re adding a 20 percent cost to preschool educational formats and child care for families by a decision that seems as simple as moving the enrollment date by one month,” Curd said.
The bill’s vote in committee ended in an unusual 3-3 tie with Senator V. J. Smith absent from the hearing. The senators then voted 5-1 to reconsider the bill when Smith has a chance to listen to the discussion.
(Zach Nelson, KCCR, contributed to this report.)
