00 HOUSE BILL NO. 172 am 01 "An Act relating to kindergarten programs and compulsory education; to 02 identification required upon enrollment in a public school; to those grades that 03 constitute elementary, junior, and secondary school; and providing for an effective 04 date." 05 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 06 * Section 1. AS 14.03.040 is amended to read: 07  Sec. 14.03.040. DAY IN SESSION. Each day within the school term is a day 08 in session except Saturdays, Sundays, and days designated as holidays by or according 09 to AS 14.03.050. A school board may approve Saturdays as a day in session. The 10 day in session in every school shall be at least two and one-half hours, exclusive of 11 intermissions, for kindergarten, four hours [LONG], exclusive of intermissions, for 12 the first, second, and third grades, and five hours, exclusive of intermissions, for all 13 other grades. The commissioner may approve a shorter day in session for any grade. 14 The period of the day in session shall be devoted to the instruction of pupils or to 01 study periods for the pupils. 02 * Sec. 2. AS 14.03.060(a) is amended to read: 03  (a) An elementary school consists of grades kindergarten through grade eight 04 or any appropriate combination of grades within this range as long as the 05 combination of grades also includes kindergarten. Each school district shall offer 06 a kindergarten program. 07 * Sec. 3. AS 14.03.060(b) is amended to read: 08  (b) A secondary school consists of grades six [SEVEN] through 12 or any 09 appropriate combination of grades within this range. The establishment of one or two 10 grades beyond the 12th grade is optional with the governing body of the school 11 district. 12 * Sec. 4. AS 14.03.060(c) is amended to read: 13  (c) Grades six [SEVEN] through eight, nine, and ten or any appropriate 14 combination of grades within this range may be organized as a junior high or middle 15 school. 16 * Sec. 5. AS 14.03.070 is amended to read: 17  Sec. 14.03.070. SCHOOL AGE. A child who is five [SIX] years of age before 18 August 15 following the beginning of the school year, and who is under the age of 20 19 and has not completed the 12th grade, is of school age. 20 * Sec. 6. AS 14.03.080(d) is amended to read: 21  (d) A child who is five years of age by the first day of [BEFORE 22 AUGUST 15 FOLLOWING THE BEGINNING OF] the school term [YEAR, AND 23 WHO IS UNDER SCHOOL AGE,] may enter a public school kindergarten. 24 * Sec. 7. AS 14.30.010(a) is amended to read: 25  (a)  Except as provided under (b) of this section, a [EVERY] child between 26 six [SEVEN] and 16 years of age shall attend school at a [THE] public school in the 27 district in which the child resides during each school term. Every parent, guardian, or 28 other person having the responsibility for or control of a child between six [SEVEN] 29 and 16 years of age shall maintain the child in attendance at a public school in the 30 district in which the child resides during the entire school term, except as provided in 31 (b) of this section. 01 * Sec. 8. AS 14.30.710 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 02  (b) A person who enrolls a child in a public school shall, not more than 30 03 days after enrollment, provide to the public school a copy of the child's birth 04 certificate or other proof of the child's identity if the child has not previously been 05 enrolled in a public school. 06 * Sec. 9. This Act takes effect July 1, 1996.