Chapter 40 Oregon Laws 2008 Special Session
AN ACT
SB 1068
Relating to kindergarten; and declaring an emergency.
Be It Enacted by the People of
the State of
SECTION 1. (1)
As used in this section:
(a) “Half-day
kindergarten” means instructional hours provided at the kindergarten level that
meet the minimum number of instructional hours required for kindergarten by
rule of the State Board of Education and that meet other standards and rules of
the board.
(b) “Supplemental
kindergarten” means instructional hours provided at the kindergarten level that
exceed the minimum number of instructional hours required for kindergarten by
rule of the State Board of Education and that meet other standards and rules of
the board.
(2)(a) A school district
must offer half-day kindergarten in one or more schools in the district and may
offer supplemental kindergarten in one or more schools in the district. This
paragraph does not apply to union high school districts.
(b) If a public charter
school offers kindergarten, the school must offer half-day kindergarten and may
offer supplemental kindergarten.
(c) Half-day
kindergarten offered by a school district or a public charter school must meet
academic content standards adopted by the State Board of Education under ORS
329.045.
(3) Transportation shall
be provided to students in half-day kindergarten and supplemental kindergarten
as follows:
(a) For students who
attend a public charter school, in accordance with ORS 338.145.
(b) For all other
students in a school district, in accordance with ORS 327.043.
(4)(a) A school district
may not charge tuition for half-day kindergarten attended by a student who
resides within the school district.
(b) A public charter
school may not charge tuition for half-day kindergarten attended by any
student.
(5) Notwithstanding ORS
336.095, 339.115 (1), 339.141 or 339.155 and except as provided in subsections
(6) and (7) of this section, a school district or public charter school may
charge tuition for supplemental kindergarten.
(6) If a school district
or public charter school charges tuition for supplemental kindergarten, the
school district or public charter school may not charge tuition for a student
who is:
(a) A member of a
low-income family as defined in ORS 339.147; or
(b) A ward of a juvenile
court or the Department of Human Services.
(7)(a) A parent or
guardian of a student not described in subsection (6) of this section who
believes that payment of all or part of the tuition is a severe hardship may
request that the district school board or public charter school waive in whole
or in part the payment of tuition. The district school board or public charter
school shall waive the tuition in whole or in part upon a finding of severe
hardship.
(b) A school district or
public charter school that charges tuition for supplemental kindergarten shall
adopt policies establishing factors that constitute a severe hardship under
this subsection.
SECTION 2. Section
1 of this 2008 Act applies to the 2007-2008, 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 school
years.
SECTION 3. Section
1 of this 2008 Act is repealed on June 30, 2010.
SECTION 4. The
collection before the effective date of this 2008 Act of any tuition or other
fees by a school district or public charter school for supplemental kindergarten,
as defined in section 1 of this 2008 Act, that was invalid solely because there
was no Oregon statutory authority for the collection of the tuition or fees, is
validated and approved.
SECTION 5. This
2008 Act being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace,
health and safety, an emergency is declared to exist, and this 2008 Act takes
effect on its passage.
Approved by the Governor March 11, 2008
Filed in the office of Secretary of State March 11, 2008
Effective date March 11, 2008
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