THE SENATE

S.C.R. NO.

107

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2002

S.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

  
   

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 

reQUESTING THE department of education to develop a plan to advance the cutoff date for kindergarten to June 30 beginning with the 2005-2006 school year.

 

 

WHEREAS, Hawaii is one of the last states in the nation to consider raising the kindergarten entry age and our children are among the youngest in their grade levels throughout the nation; and

WHEREAS, national and local studies have found substantial differences between "older" students and "younger" students within a grade, in terms of their performance and ability; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii statewide SAT results show that those students born in the latter half of the year score statistically significantly below those born in the first half of the year; and

WHEREAS, a survey of the specific learning disability (SLD) population reveals that 42% more SLD-labeled students were born in the latter part of the year causing concern over whether we are wrongly identifying younger students who are simply not ready for school as being learning disabled; and

WHEREAS, evidence indicates that students with low success rates in their early school years are more apt to continue to perform poorly, become disenchanted with school, or disenfranchised from the system; and

WHEREAS, all of our children must compete with older children in a national scholastic community for college entry, scholarships, and jobs; and

WHEREAS, the legislature finds that it is of vital importance that we provide the children of Hawaii the best possible opportunities for academic success and a level playing field with other students throughout the nation; and

WHEREAS, early childhood educators and experts present evidence that age is only one of many factors that contributes to a child’s school readiness and academic success; that a change in the entry age should include increased pre-school opportunities, or a two-tier kindergarten plan, and readiness assessments for those children affected by the change; and

WHEREAS, the legislature finds that changing the kindergarten entrance age will prove to be sound public policy that will result in the most good for the majority of our children and understands that this must include a transition plan for families, communities, and educators, which focuses on increased early learning opportunities; now, therefore

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2002, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Department of Education shall develop a plan to advance the cutoff date for kindergarten to June 30 beginning with the 2005-2006 school year; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Superintendent of Education and the Director of Human Services, with the assistance of the School Readiness Task Force, shall develop a plan to address the needs of children and families directly affected by the change of kindergarten entry age including a description of infrastructure, assessment, training, and transition needs; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the plan shall specifically detail accommodations necessary to assure early education opportunities for every child denied entry to kindergarten due to change of the entry age; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a preliminary plan be presented to the governor and the legislature, no later than twenty days prior to the 2003 legislative session, and include, but not be limited to, estimates of the number of children, teachers, and classrooms affected by this policy change, resources that could be re-allocated to early childhood education, an inventory of existing early education programs and facilities throughout the State, and recommendations for a public information campaign to help prepare families, providers, and communities for the 2005 school year; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Superintendent present the final plan to the governor and the legislature, no later than sixty days prior to the 2004 legislative session. It shall include, but not be limited to, the necessary components for the successful transition into and implementation of this policy for the 2005-2006 school year, including recommendations of legislation necessary to accomplish this purpose; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Superintendent of Education and the Director of Human Services, the Chair of the School Readiness Task Force, and the Board of Education.

Report Title:

DOE; Kindergarten; Advancing Entrance Age