03/05/2002 10:08 AM Senate RLS

SENATOR   THERRIAULT,   sponsor   of   SB   11-COMPULSORY   SCHOOL                                                          
ATTENDANCE, informed members that  the measure was modified by the                                                          
Senate Finance  Committee to require  that if a child  is enrolled                                                              
in  first grade  at the  age of  six,  that becomes  the date  for                                                              
compulsory  attendance.  He noted  the  current  statute does  not                                                              
require compulsory attendance until  age seven.  He explained that                                                              
he introduced  the legislation because  a small number  of parents                                                              
enroll  their children  at  age six  but  send  their children  to                                                              
school  sporadically.  Districts  cannot compel  the  students  to                                                              
attend yet  teachers must spend a  lot of time trying to  keep the                                                              
children up to speed.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
There being no questions, SENATOR  THERRIAULT moved to calendar SB
  with   its  accompanying   fiscal  note   at  the   Chairman's                                                              
discretion.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS  noted that with  no objections, SB 11  would be                                                              
placed on tomorrow's calendar.