HB 1209 Summary

• Changes school enrollment age requirements from "August first of the year of enrollment" to "the first day of the school calendar in the child's district of enrollment" across five sections of North Dakota Century Code.

• Modifies grade one enrollment to require children reach age six before the first day of the school calendar instead of August 1st, with exceptions for children who turn six before December 1st and pass developmental screening or complete kindergarten.

• Updates kindergarten enrollment to require children reach age five before the first day of the school calendar instead of August 1st, with exceptions for children who turn five before December 1st and demonstrate superior academic talents and social-emotional readiness through screening.

• Adjusts early childhood education program enrollment to require children reach age four before the first day of the school calendar instead of August 1st.

• Updates special education and boarding home care definitions to reference the first day of the school calendar instead of September 1st as the age cutoff for students with disabilities (up to age 21).