Report Title:

Early Childhood Education

Description:

Improves early childhood education in the state by establishing an early childhood education task force and appropriating funds to allow the task force to develop a ranking system for early childhood education. (HB1300 HD2)

 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1300

TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2005

H.D. 2

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.

 

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

PART I

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that nearly eighty-five per cent of brain development occurs in the first five years of life. Research has proven that the early years of a child are the most crucial in a child’s cognitive, emotional, social, and physical development, and it has been affirmed that early education measurably impacts K-12 student achievement and a child's ability to integrate into society as a productive, contributing member.

The legislature further finds that every dollar invested on a quality early childhood education saves $7 in costs for the welfare and penal systems through improved student achievement and college attendance, and reduced welfare usage and crime rates. Early education encourages and provides the support that child care centers, family child care services, and families and friends need to improve the quality of life by ensuring that all children have a good beginning and reach the potential with which they were born.

The purpose of this Act is to improve early childhood education in the state by creating a system that links services and support programs to ensure preschools and family child care of the highest quality and to support parents in providing positive early learning experiences for children. Such a system would implement ranking classifications for early childhood education programs and services and a tiered subsidy system to match those rankings, by which:

(1) The quality of a program or service will be rated, based on licensing or accreditation;

(2) Subsidies will be given to children using the programs; and

(3) Coherent information regarding the quality of a program or service will be provided to the community.

The legislature believes that the implementation of such a system would help identify incentives for programs and services, develop additional opportunities for early childhood learning, and create awareness among parents and guardians of the importance of early learning experiences and motivate them to provide these experiences for their children. Through the system, teacher quality can also be assured and early education made more accessible, affordable, and sustainable for all children.

PART II

RANKING SYSTEM

SECTION 2. The legislature recognizes the importance of providing children with early education of the highest quality. Early childhood education programs, both public and private, should meet professionally accepted standards and be staffed by well-trained educators.

The legislature finds that several states have significantly improved their early childhood education system by adopting a ranking system. Such a system provides standards by which the quality of early childhood education programs may be measured. These standards may include a program's licensing status, accreditation, learning environment, staff or director qualifications and training, staff-to-child ratios, and group size. The State can then issue subsidies to children based on the ranking of the program they attend and encourage other families to participate in the early learning experiences of their children.

The purpose of this part is to improve early childhood education in the state by establishing and appropriating funds for an early childhood education task force to:

(1) Develop quality indicators for a ranking system for early childhood education;

(2) Make recommendations to improve existing early childhood education programs; and

(3) Propose an overall plan for developing and implementing sustainable early learning opportunities for all children.

SECTION 3. Chapter 346, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§346- Ranking system. The department of human services shall adopt a ranking system based upon the recommendations of the early childhood education task force established pursuant to this Act, upon which licenses will be issued to early childhood education programs. The ranking system shall be based on quality indicators which may include:

(1) Education levels of staff;

(2) Compliance history of the child care facility;

(3) Accessibility to students who are financially disadvantaged; and

(4) Learning program or curriculum,

and other indicators as recommended by the early childhood education task force."

SECTION 4. Section 346-1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new definition to be appropriately inserted and to read as follows:

""Ranking system" means a system that provides indicators by which the quality of early childhood education programs may be assessed, and which may include indicators such as a program's licensing status, accreditation, learning environment, staff or director qualifications and training, staff-to-child ratios, and group size."

SECTION 5. (a) There is established the early childhood education task force to develop a ranking system for early childhood education. The task force shall be attached to the legislative reference bureau for administrative purposes.

The task force shall convene as needed to:

(1) Research indicators of existing licensed and accredited early childhood education programs, including ranking systems, in other states;

(2) Determine indicators of quality and create a ranking system for Hawaii’s early childhood education;

(3) Propose a method to issue subsidies from the department of human services to children based on the ranking of the early childhood education program they attend;

(4) Recommend measures to improve existing early childhood education programs;

(5) Develop a plan to advance early childhood education programs through the ranking system with grants that support improvements in program quality based on each program's ranking;

(6) Establish a pilot program that implements the ranking system in one county;

(7) Propose an overall plan for implementing early childhood education for all children, including incentives, resources, infrastructure, and support for upgrading and creating new early childhood programs;

(8) Conduct statewide focus groups to inform the early childhood education community about the ranking system to be implemented;

(9) Develop and distribute informational materials to the public relating to the ranking system; and

(10) Perform any other function that may facilitate the establishment and implementation of a ranking system.

The early childhood education task force shall establish a timeline by which these tasks shall be accomplished.

(b) The early childhood education task force shall consist of fourteen members as follows:

(1) The superintendent of education or the superintendent's designee;

(2) The director of human services or the director's designee;

(3) The director of health or the director's designee;

(4) A representative from the good beginnings alliance;

(5) The dean of the college of education at the University of Hawaii or the dean's designee;

(6) A representative from each of the early childhood education communities in the counties of Kauai, Maui, and Hawaii, as appointed by the respective mayors;

(7) A representative from the Kamehameha Schools Early Childhood Division;

(8) Hawaii Headstart;

(9) A representative from the Hawaii Association for the Education of Young Children;

(10) A representative from the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools;

(11) One member from the resource and referral community to be selected by People Attentive To Children; and

(12) One member from the business community to be selected by the Hawaii Business Roundtable.

The good beginnings alliance shall facilitate the meetings of the early childhood education task force.

(c) The early childhood education task force may form advisory subcommittees to obtain input from key stakeholders as determined necessary by the task force.

(d) Members of the early childhood education task force shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for expenses, including travel expenses, necessary for the performance of their duties.

(e) All meetings of the early childhood education task force shall be exempt from chapter 92, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

(f) The early childhood education task force shall submit a report of its progress, findings, and recommendations to the department of human services and the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2006.

SECTION 6. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $       or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2005-2006 to support the operations of the early childhood education task force.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the legislative reference bureau for the purposes of this part.

PART III

SECTION 7. This Act is intended to enhance, and not replace, existing rules and regulations of the department of human services.

SECTION 8. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 9. This Act shall take effect upon its approval; provided that:

(1) Sections 3 and 4 shall take effect on July 1, 2008;

(2) Section 5 shall be repealed on June 30, 2008; and

(3) Section 6 shall take effect on July 1, 2005.