Children in St. Louis and Kansas City would have to begin school a year earlier if a Senate bill passes.

Intro:	St. Louis children would be required to start kindergarten a year earlier if a bill in Missouri's Senate passes.
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Wrap: The bill would mandate that all 6-year-old children in St. Louis city be enrolled in school.

Public, private, religious, and home schools are included under this bill.

St. Louis Democratic Senator Joseph Keaveny says he sponsored the bill to ensure inner-city children aren't left behind.

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Description: "We have a population sum that doesn't send kids to school until someone's knocking on the door. This will ensure that those people are knocking on the door one year earlier."

Keaveny's proposal would also increase funding for social workers to investigate neglected children who are not enrolled in school.

The bill still faces a vote from Missouri's Senate and would begin with the 2011 school year.

From the State Capitol, I'm Nick Berry.

Intro:	If passed, Senate bill would crack down on negligent parents in St. Louis and Kansas City.
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Wrap: The bill lowers the age that St. Louis and Kansas City children are required to be enrolled in school from 7 to 6 years old.

Jackson County Democratic Senator Jolie Justus says this will get children enrolled in school before it's too late.

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Description: "There are a lot of kids that we don't even know, that aren't even on our radar because they're sitting at home and they're not even going to school until ridiculously old ages when workers are knocking on their door picking them up."

According to Psychology Today, the best time for children to learn how to follow instructions and identify letters is between the ages of four and seven.

The bill still faces a vote from the Senate and would go into effect for the 2011 school year.

From the State Capitol, I'm Nick Berry.

Intro:	Missouri's Senate finalized a bill that would require all 6-year-olds to be enrolled in school in St. Louis and Kansas City.
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Wrap: The bill would apply to St. Louis and Kansas City schools, including private, religious, and home schools.

St. Louis County Republican Senator Jane Cunningham says she held her own son back from kindergarten.

She says the government shouldn't take decisions away from parents and private entities.

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Description: "We are, as government, telling a private and a church entity how they should run their schools and I don't think we should be doing that as government. That's why people choose a non-public school, because they want those freedoms."

The bill's sponsor says the measure is targeted to neglected children who wouldn't otherwise be in school.

From the State Capitol, I'm Nick Berry.