The Oregon Senate sent a handful of education-related bills to the governor’s desk Tuesday morning. One of them allows parents to hold their children back from kindergarten for an extra year.
If Gov. Kate Brown signs it, HB 3029 would raise Oregon’s compulsory school age from six to seven. Sen. Elizabeth Steiner Hayward, a Beaverton Democrat is concerned that parents might hold their kids back to benefit them later when they’re old enough to play competitive sports.
“There seems to be something of a practice anecdotally, among parents—particularly parents of boys—who are, quote-unquote, toward the young end of the spectrum, who are “red shirting” their kids and starting them a little bit later,” Steiner Hayward said.
Supporters say not all children are ready for kindergarten at the same age. Parents would have the final say about whether their kids were prepared for school
Sponsors anticipate it will affect roughly 40 kids a year.