Dive Brief:
- Illinois has lowered the required age for students to start kindergarten.
- Students previously started school at age 7, but will now have to begin by age 6.
- Critics of the new law point to how it will create higher costs for many schools that are already underfunded.
Dive Insight:
Lowering the kindergarten start age appears to be Illinois' way of dealing with early elementary education. If the budgets can handle the shift, this sounds like a great idea to get students into school and learning as early as possible. While many students DO already start school before age 7, the law helps ensure this happens and that those who maybe wouldn't have don't fall behind.
The move isn't sitting well with everyone — especially given Illinois' tight finances. The Illinois Board of Education is trying to placate worries over lack of funding, saying the actual cost adjustments will remain unknown until the school year begins.
