STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1050-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   S.B. No. 2826

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2826, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to help provide much-needed early childhood education for the children of Hawaii by establishing within the early learning system an Early Childhood Education Program, to be administered by the Executive Office on Early Learning.  The Early Childhood Education Program may include private providers and will serve three- and four-year old children, with priority extended to children in the year prior to being eligible to attend kindergarten and underserved or at-risk children.

The Executive Office on Early Learning, Department of Education, Department of Human Services, Department of Public Safety, Early Learning Advisory Board, Hui for Excellence in Education, Hawaii Association of Independent Schools, Hawaii Association for the Education of Young Children, The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, Hawaii Business Roundtable, Aloha United Way, Partners in Development Foundation, Kamehameha Schools, Hawaii Association of School Psychologists, The Pacific Resource Partnership, PHOCUSED, and numerous concerned individuals supported the bill.  Aha Punana Leo and several concerned individuals supported the measure with amendments.  The Hawaii State Teachers Association, IMUAlliance, and a concerned individual opposed the bill.  The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii submitted comments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Removing the definition of "underserved children";

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2030, to facilitate further discussion; 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 S.B. No. 2826, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2826, S.D. 1, 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