ATLANTA (AP) — A House sub-committee on education has taken the first step toward giving parents more time to enroll their 5-year-olds in pre-kindergarten.

Staff attorney for the Professional Association of Georgia Educators, Margaret Ciccarelli, said Monday that many parents and teachers have been upset by the original version of House Bill 100. It would have required children to be 5 years old to be eligible for pre-K in the 2015-16 school year. The subcommittee changed the deadline to Sept. 1 of 2017.

Child psychologist Dr. Erica F. Sitkoff of the Voices for Georgia's Children advocacy group says parents need much more time for planning and the delay was necessary.

The amended version also requires kids to be 5 years old by July 1 in 2018.