Paula Dockery Looks to Close an Education Loophole

Earlier this month, Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, introduced a bill which would let any children who complete kindergarten in private schools in Florida enter first grade in public schools. She is looking to scrap the current state requirement that children who attended private kindergartens in the Sunshine State must be 6 years old by Sept. 1 of the year they enter first grade to enter that grade in the public schools.

Floridas children should not be forced to repeat a year in public school if they have already completed kindergarten at a private school,Dockery said in a statement on Thurday. This is common-sense legislation that will help Floridas families and save educational resources.

While there are no companion measures in the House introduced yet, Dockerys staff told Sunshine State News on Thursday that the senator intends to have her billadded to other legislation in committee.