Bill > HB530

This bill proposes to eliminate half-day kindergarten programs in Kentucky and transition to full-day kindergarten statewide beginning July 1, 2026. The legislation amends several statutes to remove references to half-day kindergarten and update language related to kindergarten programs and student attendance calculations. Specifically, the bill removes provisions that previously allowed kindergarten programs to operate for less than six hours per day, and eliminates terminology like "kindergarten full-time equivalent pupils" from funding and attendance calculations. The changes will require all kindergarten programs to provide a full school day of instruction, which is defined as a minimum of six hours of actual school work. This transition aims to provide more comprehensive early education for five-year-old children and standardize kindergarten programming across Kentucky school districts. The bill includes technical amendments to align various state education statutes with the full-day kindergarten requirement and will take effect on July 1, 2026, allowing schools time to prepare for the implementation of this change.

Education

https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/25RS/hb530.html