199
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES             H.C.R. NO.            
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                     HOUSE CONCURRENT
                        RESOLUTION

REQUESTING AN ASSESSMENT OF THE PERFORMANCE OF THE A-PLUS PROGRAM
   AND INCLUDING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ITS IMPROVEMENT.



 1       WHEREAS, after-school care is extremely important today, as
 2   both parents work in most families, and children need
 3   supervision beyond that provided during school; and 
 4   
 5       WHEREAS, after-school care provides children with a safe,
 6   structured environment in which to do their homework,
 7   socialize, or engage in other activities who would otherwise be
 8   left alone for the afternoon while their parents are still at
 9   work; and
10   
11       WHEREAS, the A-Plus Program (Program) was initiated in 1990
12   to ensure that parents in Hawaii have a low-cost option for
13   after-school care; and 
14   
15       WHEREAS, parents should be able to expect reliable, well
16   managed care for their children through the Program; and
17   
18       WHEREAS, it is important that the Program meet the changing
19   needs of Hawaii's parents and children through continuous
20   evaluation and assessment; now, therefore,
21   
22       BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the
23   Twentieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session
24   of 2000, the Senate concurring, that the Department of
25   Education (DOE) is requested to establish a task force
26   consisting of representatives from the DOE, the Board of
27   Education, the Department of Health, and the Department of
28   Human Services to assess the performance of the A-Plus Program
29   and make recommendations for its improvement; and
30   
31       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the State Auditor is requested
32   to conduct a fiscal and performance audit of the A-Plus
33   Program, with special attention given to recommending ways to
34   enhance or redirect the focus or goals of the Program; and

 
Page 2                                                     199
                                  H.C.R. NO.            
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the DOE and the State Auditor
 2   are requested to submit reports of their findings and
 3   recommendations to the Legislature no later than twenty days
 4   before the convening of the Regular Session of 2001; and
 5   
 6       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
 7   Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Superintendent of
 8   Education, the Chair of the Board of Education, the Directors
 9   of Health and Human Services, and the State Auditor.
10 
11 
12 
13                         OFFERED BY:  ____________________________