Report Title:

Resources for Early Access to Learning (R.E.A.L.); Appropriation

Description:

Appropriates funds to establish additional Families for Resources for Early Access to Learning (R.E.A.L.)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

227

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

Making an appropriation for families for resources for early access to learning.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that parents are the child's first and most important teachers. Brain research reveals that the formation of neural patterns that promote or inhibit learning and healthy development throughout life are dependent on a person’s experiences as a very young child. Therefore, one of the best approaches to a child’s education is to empower parents in their roles of parenting and teaching their children, ages birth through five, at home.

Families for R.E.A.L. (Resources for Early Access to Learning), based on Minnesota’s statewide Family Education Model, has proven to positively affect parental attitudes and children’s achievement. The emphasis is on empowering parents as their young children’s first teachers, rather than waiting for and relying upon public school instruction when the child is age five or six.

Families for R.E.A.L. is open to families from all socioeconomic backgrounds. Parents attend classes with their children once a week for nine weeks on the weekday designated for their children's age group. Parents learn and share critical parenting and teaching skills regarding the very young, network with each another, and access community resources. Children learn social, physical, early literacy, and numerical skills in class and also gain a more effective learning coach in their homes.

Currently there are three program sites: Pearl City Highlands elementary school in the leeward district; Kapunahala elementary school in the windward district; and Wailuku Union Church school, Maui district. Each Families for R.E.A.L. site serves 350-500 families per year or 1,000 individuals (parent and child) per year. Elementary school teachers consistently report that children who attended Families for R.E.A.L. are more ready to learn than others who do not have the experience. Not surprisingly, each site has a waiting list of 500 families or 1,000 parents and children.

The department of education plans for a fully funded Families for R.E.A.L. in each of the districts of Honolulu, central Oahu, Hawaii, and Kauai.

The legislature further finds that research underscores the necessity of expansion of the effective early childhood family education programs that prepare families and their children for a smooth transition and success in kindergarten and the upper grades.

The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to expand the Families for R.E.A.L. program into the school districts of Honolulu, central Oahu, Kauai, and Hawaii, to fund seven satellite sites in outlying areas where there is much need for the program, and for the department of education to conduct a longitudinal study of the program.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $400,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2003-2004, and the same sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, for fiscal year 2004-2005, as follows:

(1) $372,000, to expand the Families for R.E.A.L. program into the school districts of Honolulu, central Oahu, Hawaii, and Kauai at a cost of $93,000 per site, broken down as follows:

(A) One full-time parent educator $38,000

(B) One full-time early childhood

educator 38,000

(C) One part-time temporary (PTT) teacher 12,500

(D) Equipment, supplies and other costs 4,500;

and

(2) $28,000, for the department of education to conduct a longitudinal study to determine the need, results, and effectiveness of the Families for R.E.A.L. program.

SECTION 3. The sum appropriated in this Act shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. The department of education shall report its findings and recommendations of the longitudinal study under section 3 of this Act to the legislature not later than twenty days before the convening of the regular session of 2005.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2003.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________