New law raises concerns for some kindergartners

Thursday, Oct. 22, 1998 | 11:23 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Hundreds of children attending unlicensed kindergartens may not be accepted into the first grade in public schools next year, under a new interpretation of Nevada law.

"It's become a real nightmare," says Keith Rheault, deputy state superintendent of public schools. "We're trying to get it worked out."

A 1997 law says 6-year-olds who want to enter first grade next year must complete kindergarten. The state Department of Education interpreted this to mean the child must attend a kindergarten in a public school or in a state- approved private kindergarten.

So the 6-year-old child next year who completed an unlicensed course would have to repeat kindergarten in a certified program before entering the first grade. Rheault says "We don't want to punish the 6-year-old. It would be a waste to send them twice."

Rheault estimates 450 students in Clark County face this dilemma.

To provide some relief, the department says 6-year-olds will be eligible for first grade in 1999 if their unlicensed kindergarten applies to the state this year and is accepted by next July.

And the Nevada Legislature, which meets next year, could change the law to allow an exception to the first crop of 6-year-olds who did not complete kindergarten in a state approved program.

Many of these kindergarten classes are conducted in combination with child- care centers.

Seven-year-olds who do not attend a state-approved kindergarten program will be accepted in first grade if they pass a screening test to see if they are ready. If they fail, they will be required to attend kindergarten.

The law initially was interpreted to mean 6-year-olds could also undergo the same test to be accepted for first grade if they had not completed state-approved kindergarten. But Rheault said a second review shows the "fine print" in the law excludes 6-year-olds from using the assessment procedure to be qualified for first grade.

"We told parents in good faith that their children could be tested to start first grade next year and to have it changed in October just isn't right," said Connie Davies, director of Stepping Stones, a day-care center in Reno. Parents at her school are uncertain what to do, she said. Stepping Stone, which offers all-day kindergarten, will apply for a license.

Some of the more established Las Vegas private schools say that they do not believe that the law will apply to their schools.

"I can't imagine that it would apply to us," said George Vasconi, vice principal at Our Lady of Las Vegas Catholic school. "We have high standards and our accreditation process is very thorough. It has not been a hot topic at any schools that I know about."

Assemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani, D-Las Vegas, who authored the mandatory kindergarten plan, said there was never any intent to exclude 6-year-olds in unlicensed schools from taking test to qualify for first grade.

Giunchigliani, who worked for 12 years to get the kindergarten legislation through, said the issue was never raised during public hearings. She said she sees nothing wrong with allowing a parent of a student in an unlicensed school to request the child undergo a screening.

She said she will talk sometime next week with Mary Peterson, state superintendent of public instruction, and Sharon Rogers, a consultant with the department of education, to determine if something can be done.

"I hope people don't overreact," Giunchigliani said. A regulation may be able to be drafted to allow the screening for these 6-year-olds. If not, than she will introduce a bill early in the 1999 Legislature to take care the problem. "We've got until August (next year)," to remedy the problem, she said.

Reporter Jace Radke contributed to this story.