STAND. COM. REP. NO.  717

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

 

RE:   H.B. No. 500

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 500 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC PREKINDERGARTEN PROGRAMS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to strengthen early learning in Hawaii by:

 

     (1)  Requiring the Executive Office on Early Learning to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the State Public Charter School Commission to administer the charter school prekindergarten classrooms; and

 

     (2)  Appropriating $2,900,000 for each year of fiscal biennium 2017-2019 to be allocated in the following manner:

 

          (A)  $1,386,567 to hire 18 teachers and 18 educational assistants for 18 charter school prekindergarten classrooms and to provide substitutes for 10 professional-development days for teachers and educational assistants;

 

          (B)  $773,433 for leadership professional development to build charter school administrators' understanding of high-quality early-childhood practices, supplies, school overhead, and facility-maintenance expenses to meet the group child care licensing requirements of the Department of Human Services; and

 

          (C)  $740,000, for the administration and management of the charter school prekindergarten classrooms by the Executive Office on Early Learning in partnership with the State Public Charter School Commission.

 

     The State Public Charter School Commission, Executive Office on Early Learning, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Kamaile Academy Public Conversion Charter School, Kualapuu Public Conversion Charter School, Ke Kula o Samuel M. Kamakau Laboratory Public Charter School, Ke Kula O Nawahiokalani'opuu Iki Laboratory Public Charter School, Early Learning Advisory Board, Hawaii Public Charter Schools Network, Hawaii's Early Childhood Action Strategy, Hawaii Children's Action Network, Hawaii State Teachers Association, Education Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Kamehameha Schools, Hookakoo Corporation, and many concerned individuals supported this measure.  The Department of the Attorney General submitted comments.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Authorizing the Executive Office on Early Learning and State Public Charter School Commission to enter into a memorandum of understanding to administer the charter school prekindergarten classrooms, rather than requiring them to do so;

 

     (2)  Making all of the appropriations in unspecified sums;

 

     (3)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2051, to encourage further discussion;

 

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     Should your Committee on Finance choose to deliberate further on this measure, your Committee respectfully requests that it re-insert the original appropriation amounts.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 500, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 500, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

ROY M. TAKUMI, Chair