MS SB2217

Changes the compulsory school attendance age from six years old (with August 1 cutoff) to five years old (with August 1 cutoff), making kindergarten attendance mandatory for all five-year-olds.

Requires kindergarten-age children to attend licensed public, parochial, nonpublic, or legitimate homeschool kindergarten programs that address cognitive, social, and emotional needs of five-year-olds.

Defines "school" for kindergarten purposes to include any licensed kindergarten program (public, parochial, nonpublic, or homeschool) rather than only traditional full-day programs.

Changes the enrollment date cutoff in Section 37-15-9 from September 1 to August 1 for kindergarten and first-grade enrollment in public schools.

Effective July 1, 2018, with the same compulsory attendance enforcement mechanisms, exemptions, and reporting requirements applicable to kindergarten-age children as existing for older school-age children.