HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

388

TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2017

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

 

 

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

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that more of Hawaii's children are entering kindergarten without the physical, cognitive, linguistic, social, and emotional skills necessary to prepare them for success in school life.  The preschool open doors program, authorized in 1991, was established to contribute to the school readiness of children, particularly those who have special needs, for whom English is a second language, or who are homeless, by providing a developmentally appropriate experience to prepare children for a public education prior to entering kindergarten.

     The link between school readiness and success in school is indisputable.  Act 13, Session Laws of Hawaii 2002, defined school readiness to mean that "young children are ready to have successful learning experiences in school when there is a positive interaction among the child's developmental characteristics, school practices, and family and community support."  According to kindergarten teachers within the department of education, many of the children who do not attend pre-kindergarten programs could be eighteen to twenty-four months behind developmentally than their peers who do attend preschool.

     When first established, the preschool open doors program provided financial assistance to parents of three- and four-year-old children living at or below seventy-five per cent of the state median income.  Act 169, Session Laws of Hawaii 2013, reestablished the preschool open doors program as the statewide school readiness program, but only for children in the year prior to entering kindergarten, namely four-year-olds.

     The State must commit to promoting school readiness, especially for children with special needs, for whom English is a second language, or who are homeless.  By not providing preschool services to these children when they are three years old, their school readiness will likely decrease while they wait to become eligible for these services at four years of age.

     Therefore, the purpose of this Act is to re-establish eligibility to the preschool open doors program for three-year-old children prior to entering kindergarten so the program will serve three-year-olds and four-year-olds.  The preschool open doors program will be administered by the department of human services.

     SECTION 2.  Section 346-181, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

     "(b)  Subject to the availability of funds, the program shall serve three- and four-year-old children, with priority extended to:

     (1)  Children who are not eligible to attend public school kindergarten in the calendar year in which they turn five years of age because their birth date occurs after the kindergarten eligibility date pursuant to section 302A-411; and

     (2)  Underserved or at-risk children."

     SECTION 3.  No later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2018, the department of human services shall report to the legislature on the following:

     (1)  The number of applicants to the preschool open doors program as amended by this Act;

     (2)  The number of applicants that were placed on a waitlist for the preschool open doors program;

     (3)  The geographic distribution of services to participants in the preschool open doors program;

     (4)  The number of participating providers; and

     (5)  A summary of any capacity and funding issues the department has experienced in carrying out the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 4.  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 2017-2018 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2018-2019 for subsidies for the preschool open doors program.

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 5.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 6.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2075.

 

Report Title:

School Readiness; Preschool Open Doors Program; Appropriations

 

Description:

Re-establishes eligibility for the Preschool Open Doors Program to indicate that the program shall serve three-year-old children, in addition to four-year-old children.  Requires the Department of Human Services to report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.  (HB388 HD1)

 

 

 

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