KINDERGARTEN AGE BILL CLEARS CAPITOL HURDLE; CUT-OFF DATE WOULD MOVE UP.Byline: Patricia Farrell Aidem Daily News Staff Writer Two years after introducing legislation to move California's kindergarten cut-off date up three months, Assemblyman George Runner's plan is finally getting a hearing. Runner's bill, twice rejected, would require that children be 5 by Sept. 1 to enter kindergarten that school year. The current cut-off is Dec. 2. On Tuesday, the chairman of the Assembly Education Committee endorsed Assembly Bill 513, authored by Runner, R-Lancaster, and two Democrats, Kerry Mazzoni Kerry Mazzoni was a California State Assemblywoman from the 6th District from 1994-2000. Ms. Mazzoni was a member of the Novato School Board. She defeated incumbent Vivian Bronshvag in the 1994 primary. of San Rafael San Rafael (săn rəfĕl`), residential city (1990 pop. 48,404), seat of Marin co., W Calif., a suburb of San Francisco on the northern shore of San Francisco Bay; inc. 1913. and Virginia Strom-Martin Virginia Strom-Martin (born 1948) served in the California state Assembly from 1996 until she was termed out in 2002. She has been a member of the Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board since February 5, 2003. She was appointed by former Assembly Speaker Herb Wesson. of Santa Rosa Santa Rosa, city, Argentina Santa Rosa, city (1991 pop. 80,629), capital of La Pampa prov., central Argentina. It is a modern city and road junction surrounded by a rich agricultural and cattle-raising area. . The proposed date change, which would be phased in over three years, will be considered next week by the Assembly Appropriations Committee. California's kindergarten cut-off date is the latest in the country, Runner said. That, he claims, can contribute to lower performances because children are younger on average than their counterparts nationwide. ``We need to set our children up to succeed and not fail,'' he said. ``These young 4-year-olds starting kindergarten are still developing their large motor skills, and many are not ready to sit quietly in class, learning to read and write.'' Kathy Wright, assistant superintendent of instructional services for the Sulphur Springs School District The Sulphur Springs School District is a school district in the Santa Clarita Valley that serves portions of the Canyon Country and Newhall communities within the city of Santa Clarita, California. As of March 26, 2006, it has 8 elementary schools. in Canyon Country, said there are several factors including age that contribute to a youngster's readiness for kindergarten. ``I'm not sure how big a difference a change in the cut-off date will make,'' Wright said. ``There are so many factors that go into readiness. Age is one of them, prior experience in preschools, have they been read to, their motor skill development, the opportunity they've had to be around other kids . . . Every child is so different.'' In the Newhall School District The Newhall School District is a school district in the Santa Clarita Valley that serves the Valencia and Newhall communities within the city of Santa Clarita, California, as well as the Stevenson Ranch community in unincorporated Los Angeles County. , the multitrack mul·ti·track adj. 1. Having, using, or produced with multiple recording tracks: a multitrack tape recorder. 2. year-round schedule is yet another factor, said Anne Hazlett, Newhall's assistant superintendent of personnel and instruction. ``I think that you'll find a variety of opinions among educators, especially in the multitrack system where those little 4-year-olds come on board in July,'' Hazlett said. ``A few months can make a lot of difference.'' In fact, since the year-round track system began last year, kindergarten teachers have adjusted their program to meet the needs of a younger set of children, Hazlett said. |
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