Bill > SB0396

This bill changes the age at which students are required to attend school in Indiana, lowering the compulsory school attendance age from seven to five years old, effective July 1, 2025. Specifically, the bill modifies several sections of Indiana Code to require that students become subject to school attendance requirements at the beginning of the fall school term in the school year when they turn five years old on August 1st, instead of the previous age of seven. The bill also updates related statutes concerning school choice scholarships and eligible students, changing references from "October 1" to "August 1" for determining student age in various educational program eligibility calculations. Parents can still request an exemption from compulsory attendance if they intend to enroll their child in a nonaccredited school or provide equivalent home instruction. These changes align the state's compulsory education requirements with an earlier school entry age, potentially impacting school enrollment, educational programming, and family educational planning.