FISCAL NOTE

House Bill 208 as passed the House of Representatives would, beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, (1) require completion of kindergarten as a condition of admission to first grade in local public schools, (2) allow local boards of education to admit underage children to kindergarten under certain circumstances, and (3) revise the age qualifications for admission to first grade.

The provisions of this bill could increase the average daily membership (ADM) for public kindergarten by an estimated maximum of 5,000 students annually, beginning in the 2022-2023 school year. This increase in kindergarten ADM would result in an estimated maximum annual increase of $33.8 million in Foundation Program funding, beginning in Fiscal Year 2023, using divisors, average calculated state teacher unit salary, and classroom instructional support allowances for fiscal year 2021. This amount would be reduced by an undetermined amount dependent upon the number of students attending non-public kindergarten or demonstrating first grade readiness, as provided in this bill.

In addition, this bill requires the Department of Education to publish essential first grade readiness skills information on the Alabama Family Central website which could increase the obligations of the Department by an undetermined amount.