Missouri Revised Statutes Title XI. Education and Libraries § 160.055. Urban districts--child eligible for prekindergarten, kindergarten, and summer school, when, how determined--child eligible for first grade, when, how determined

1. Notwithstanding any provisions of sections 160.051 and 160.053, to the contrary, beginning with the 1997-98 school year, all urban school districts containing the greater part of the population of a city which has more than three hundred thousand inhabitants, except as provided in subsection 2 of this section, may establish and enforce a regulation which requires that a child shall have attained the age of three by August first for purposes of prekindergarten if a school district maintains such a program, the age of five for purposes of kindergarten and summer school prior to a kindergarten school term, and the age of six for purposes of grade one, on or before any date between August first and October first of that year. The school district shall receive state aid for any child admitted to kindergarten, summer school prior to kindergarten, or grade one pursuant to this section, notwithstanding the provisions of section 160.051.

2. Any kindergarten or grade one pupil beginning the school term and any pupil beginning summer school prior to a kindergarten school term in an urban school district in this state containing the greater part of the population of a city which has more than three hundred thousand inhabitants 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.

3. Any child who completes the kindergarten year in an urban school district containing the greater part of the population of a city which has more than three hundred thousand inhabitants shall not be required to meet the minimum age requirements of another school district in this state for entrance into grade one.

4. The provisions of subsections 1 and 2 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.