STAND. COM. REP. NO.  433

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

 

RE:   H.B. No. 820

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 820 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to establish the Executive Office on Early Learning (the Office) Prekindergarten Program, aimed at continuing the fulfillment of state early education goals.  This measure, among other things:

    

     (1)  Establishes a state voluntary prekindergarten program, with priority given to underserved or at-risk children;

 

     (2)  Directs the Office to establish research-based, developmentally-appropriate high-quality standards associated with better educational outcomes to set program policies; and

 

     (3)  Allows the Office to coordinate with other agencies and programs to facilitate the program, including the use of available classrooms for program activities.

 

     The Hawaii State Teachers Association, Americans for Democratic Action Hawaii, Kamehameha Schools, Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, Aloha United Way, Good Beginnings Alliance, Hui for Excellence in Education Coalition, IMUAlliance, Phocused, and a few individuals testified in support of this measure.  An individual testified in opposition.  The Department of Education, Department of Human Services, and State Public Charter School Commission provided comments.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by clarifying that:

 

     (1)  All prekindergarten programs established under this measure are to be administered through the Office, rather than directly through the Department of Education;

 

     (2)  The Office, rather than the Department of Education and public charter schools, shall give priority to public charter schools serving high populations of underserved or at-risk children; and

 

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

 

     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. 820, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 820, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

ROY M. TAKUMI, Chair