HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

500

TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2017

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

S.D. 1

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO PUBLIC PREKINDERGARTEN PROGRAMS.

 

 

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

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the State has made steady progress in investing in early learning over the years.  The legislature further finds that Hawaii's youngest children can benefit from early learning programs before they enter kindergarten at age five.  Act 109, Session Laws of Hawaii 2015, set forth the history of early learning in the State of Hawaii and statutorily created the public prekindergarten program.  Act 109 also authorized charter schools to use their available classrooms for public preschool programs.

     In 2014, the state public charter school commission applied for and received a federal grant from the United States Department of Education to establish prekindergarten classrooms in charter schools.  The award provided a four-year grant with funding for the first three years.  There are six prekindergarten classrooms currently operating in charter schools.  Twelve additional classrooms will be added beginning in the 2017-2018 school year.

     The purpose of this Act is to:

     (1)  Authorize 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; and

     (2)  Appropriate moneys to continue the eighteen charter school prekindergarten classrooms beginning with the 2018-2019 school year.

     SECTION 2.  The executive office on early learning and state public charter school commission may enter into a memorandum of understanding to administer the charter school prekindergarten classrooms.

     SECTION 3.  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 2018-2019, to be expended as follows:

     (1)  $         to hire eighteen teachers and eighteen educational assistants for eighteen charter school prekindergarten classrooms and to provide substitutes for ten professional-development days for teachers and educational assistants;

     (2)  $         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

     (3)  $         for the administration and management of the charter school prekindergarten classrooms by the executive office on early learning in partnership with the Hawaii state public charter school commission.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the executive office of early learning for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2051.


 


 

Report Title:

Charter Schools; Public Prekindergarten Program; Hawaii State Public Charter School Commission; Executive Office on Early Learning; Appropriations

 

Description:

Authorizes the Executive Office on Early Learning and State Public Charter School Commission to enter into a memorandum of understanding to administer charter school prekindergarten classrooms.  Appropriates moneys to continue funding of public prekindergarten classrooms.  Effective 7/1/2051.  (SD1)

 

 

 

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