A universal pre-kindergarten bill signed into law this year in Vermont is being delayed until the 2016-2017 school year.
The implementation was scheduled to start July 1, 2015. The Rutland Herald reports state officials say that would not allow school boards — most of which start building their budgets this month — to plan accordingly.
Governor Peter Shumlin signed the bill in May mandating districts to provide 10 hours of pre-K education, 35 weeks a year, for children ages 3-5 who are not enrolled in kindergarten.
It gives authority to the State Board of Education to propose rules that clarify the way the law will be implemented. Last week, officials recognized those rules won't be ready until spring, after voters cast ballots on school budgets on Town Meeting Day.
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