Language test for kids

Yesterday we got a letter from our local school department saying that we must appear there with our daughter for a school test.

First we thought: Hahahaaaa...a funny misunderstanding. Jale is only 4 and will go to school only in 2008 and the school testings will take place only in beginning of 2008.
Then I continued reading all of the letter and found out that it is no joke. There is a fairly new law in germany and it is mainly to test the childrens abilities of speaking german. As an additional information you must know that in germany there are many, many children that come from a migration background...from Turkey, Russia, Armenia etc. During the last years there were a lot of children who could not speak a single word of german language when they first came to school at the age of 6/7 years. Their parents just did not care for that and raised their kids only in their own native language without thinking about how many problems their children would get in daily german life.

So, there will be a small test one year before kids go to school to find out about their speaking abilities and their german language knowledge especially. If it is too bad, they will have to visit a special language course for a year to help them getting along and to provide a fair chance for them in germany,

I have never been a friend a such laws and I have always been suspicious when it came to school things...but this law seems to be a good thing because it protects children from the selfishness of their parents. What do you think??
Is there such a law in other countries??