Why a battle is shaping up in Louisiana over the latest push for mandatory kindergarten Updated Feb 28, 2021; Will Sentell; The Advocate, Baton Rouge, La. (TNS) Feb. 28—The bid to make kindergarten mandatory in Louisiana, which has been tried before and failed, is about to spark controversy again. Backers say the requirement would dovetail with state efforts to expand early childhood education, and that it could help get the state off the bottom of many rankings for public school achievement. “It just makes basic sense,” said Senate Education Committee Chairman Cleo Fields, who has filed a bill to require kindergarten attendance for debate during the 2021 regular legislative session.