First grade enrollment; allow child who turns six on or before December 31 to start at beginning of that school year.

HB 279 changes Mississippi's school enrollment rules to allow children who turn six on or before December 31 to begin first grade at the start of the school year in which they turn six. This directly affects Mississippi families with children born between January 1 and December 31, enabling them to enroll their child in first grade during the fall semester rather than waiting until the following year. The bill amends two sections of state law: it updates Section 37-15-9 (enrollment rules) and expands the definition of "compulsory-school-age child" in Section 37-13-91 to include these children. The key change is extending the age cutoff for first-grade enrollment from September 1 to December 31.