REPORT TITLE:
Preschool; homeless families


DESCRIPTION:
Appropriates funds to establish preschool programs for homeless
families.  Encourages collaboration between the housing and
community development corporation of Hawaii and the departments
of human services and health and head start to provide these
services. (HB537 HD2)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        537
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO HOUSING.



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

 1      SECTION 1.  Preschools have proven to be a critical first
 
 2 step in a solid education, a step that can help end the unhappy
 
 3 cycle of poverty and homelessness.  Unfortunately, homeless
 
 4 children do not get the preschool education they deserve.  It has
 
 5 been found that homeless preschoolers with access to preschool
 
 6 programs are more prepared for kindergarten and have the
 
 7 opportunity to acquire other comprehensive services that they may
 
 8 not otherwise receive.
 
 9      Preschools offer the nutritional component and emotional and
 
10 intellectual development necessary to ensure that children will
 
11 be safe, healthy, and ready to succeed in school.  Without an
 
12 opportunity to receive an education, homeless children are much
 
13 less likely to acquire the skills they need to escape poverty as
 
14 adults.
 
15      The legislature finds that homeless preschoolers face
 
16 difficulty accessing preschool education.  According to a 1997
 
17 survey conducted by the National Law Center on Homelessness and
 
18 Poverty, thirty per cent of state coordinators estimated that few
 
19 or no homeless children were enrolled in preschool.  In addition,
 

 
Page 2                                                     537
                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 seventy per cent of all respondents reported that funding was
 
 2 inadequate to meet the preschool needs of homeless children.
 
 3      Findings from a three-year head start demonstration project
 
 4 revealed numerous challenges in serving homeless children and
 
 5 their families, including recruiting and enrolling homeless
 
 6 families, retaining homeless families and children in project
 
 7 services, involving homeless parents, and meeting the unique
 
 8 needs of homeless children and parents.
 
 9      The legislature believes that removing barriers to homeless
 
10 preschooler's education is necessary, and finds that much is
 
11 needed before homeless preschoolers gain access to the education
 
12 they need.
 
13      The purpose of this bill is to provide preschool education
 
14 for homeless children by:
 
15      (1)  Appropriating funds to the homeless assistance division
 
16           of the housing and community development corporation of
 
17           Hawaii to establish preschool programs for homeless
 
18           families; and
 
19      (2)  Encouraging collaboration between the housing and
 
20           community development corporation of Hawaii and the
 
21           departments of human services and health and head start
 
22           to provided these services.
 

 
 
 
Page 3                                                     537
                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
 2 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $      or so much
 
 3 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2000-2001 to
 
 4 establish preschool programs for homeless families.
 
 5      The sum appropriated shall be expended by the housing and
 
 6 community development corporation of Hawaii for the purpose of
 
 7 this Act.
 
 8      SECTION 3.  The housing and community development
 
 9 corporation of Hawaii shall collaborate with the departments of
 
10 human services and health and head start to:
 
11      (1)  Develop funding and program alternatives for preschool
 
12           programs for homeless families; and
 
13      (2)  Consider mobile preschool programs (non-shelter based)
 
14           and family home care.
 
15      SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2000.