Ohio2026Passed Legislature
HB114
Kindergarten Age Rules and Science Exam Score Review
Last scannedAug 25, 2026, 4:32 AM
In one sentence
This law sets age rules for entering kindergarten and first grade while requiring officials to review scores from the 2024-2025 science exam to find scoring errors.
What it does
- Requires school districts to admit students who are five years old by September 30 or the start of the school year into kindergarten.
- Allows schools to evaluate children younger than five for early admission if they will turn five before January 1 of that school year.
- States that a child must successfully complete kindergarten at an approved public, nonpublic, or licensed provider program before entering first grade.
- Requires the Department of Education and Workforce to review scores from the 2024-2025 science end-of-course exam to identify students affected by a scoring error on one question.
- Allows specific school districts that charged fees in the past or are starting all-day kindergarten for the first time to charge tuition, provided they use a sliding fee scale based on family income.
Who it affects
- Parents and guardians of children entering kindergarten or first grade
- School district boards of education in Ohio
- Students who took the science end-of-course exam during the 2024-2025 school year
- Child care providers offering licensed kindergarten classes
Limits and unknowns
- The official text cuts off before explaining exactly how the science exam scoring error will be corrected.
- School districts decide their own policies for evaluating children who request early admission to kindergarten or first grade.
- Only specific school districts that charged fees in a past year or are starting all-day programs can charge tuition now.
Plain language
Terms to know
- Compulsory school age
- The legal requirement for a child to attend school, which starts at six years old or when enrolled in kindergarten.
- Early admittance
- A process where schools evaluate younger children who do not meet the standard age limit but may be ready for class if they turn five before January 1.
- Successfully completed kindergarten
- Finishing a kindergarten program at a public school, chartered nonpublic school, or an approved licensed child care provider with qualified teachers.
Official record
Sources
Official summary
Regards age requirements for kindergarten admission
Official activity
Bill history
- As Introduced