BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A proposal to make kindergarten mandatory in Louisiana is renewing divisions about an idea that has previously failed to win legislative passage.
The requirement will be up for debate in the legislative session that starts in mid-April.
The Advocate reports that backers of the measure say it would dovetail with state efforts to expand early childhood education and could help the state improve its public school achievement.
Critics contend any such mandate would be an intrusion on an issue best left to families.
State law currently requires all public school districts to offer kindergarten, but enrollment is not required.