1. If a school district maintains a prekindergarten program, a child is eligible for admission to that prekindergarten program only if the child has reached the age of three before the first day of August of the school year beginning in that calendar year. If a school district maintains a kindergarten program, a child is eligible for admission to kindergarten and to the summer school session immediately preceding kindergarten, if offered, if the child reaches the age of five before the first day of August of the school year beginning in that calendar year or if the child is a military dependent who has successfully completed an accredited prekindergarten program or has attended an accredited kindergarten program in another state. A child is eligible for admission to first grade if the child reaches the age of six before the first day of August of the school year beginning in that calendar year or if the child is a military dependent who has successfully completed an accredited kindergarten program in another state.

2. Any kindergarten or grade one pupil beginning the school term and any pupil beginning summer school prior to a kindergarten school term in a metropolitan school district or an urban school district containing the greater part of the population of a city which has more than three hundred thousand inhabitants pursuant to section 160.054 or 160.055 and subsequently transferring to another school district in this state in which the child’s birth date would preclude such child’s eligibility for entrance shall be deemed eligible for attendance and shall not be required to meet the minimum age requirements. The receiving school district shall receive state aid for the child, notwithstanding the provisions of section 160.051.

Terms Used In Missouri Laws 160.053

  • Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
  • State: when applied to any of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" includes such district and territories. See Missouri Laws 1.020

3. Any child who completes the kindergarten year shall not be required to meet the age requirements of a district for entrance into grade one.

4. The provisions of this section relating to kindergarten instruction and state aid therefor shall not apply during any particular school year to those districts which do not provide kindergarten classes that year.