THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2947
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to education.

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

SECTION 1. Section 302A-1166, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§302A-1166 Prior early learning programs attendance disclosure. (a) At least one parent or guardian of each child entering kindergarten shall disclose to the department the name of, address of, and duration of attendance at, the early learning program that the child attended during the previous academic year. The department may also require the disclosure of any other information not otherwise prohibited by law that would assist the department, the department of human services, and the executive office on early learning in developing, assessing, and implementing strategies to meet the early learning needs of children in the State. The department and the executive office on early learning shall use the information to assist the executive office on early learning and department of human services in determining the levels of prekindergarten attendance and need for child care in geographic regions of the State and identify the highest priority regions requiring prekindergarten programs and child care to meet the needs of unserved or underserved eligible children.

(b) The department may include a request for the information required by subsection (a) on a kindergarten enrollment form or any other appropriate form.

(c) The department shall share the information gathered pursuant to this section with the department of human services, executive office on early learning, and state public charter school commission to the extent not otherwise prohibited by administrative rule or law.

(d) The department shall submit an annual report to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session, beginning with the regular session of 2025, containing the information gathered pursuant to this section, including early learning program attendance by school."

SECTION 2. Section 302D-37, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

"(a) The commission shall adopt [the] a kindergarten entry assessment [adopted by the board pursuant to section 302A-1165(a)] to assess all charter school students entering kindergarten within the first thirty days of admission into kindergarten."

SECTION 3. Section 346-186, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsections (a) and (b) to read as follows:

"(a) The department shall establish or augment an existing database to collect and analyze information it receives from the department of education pursuant to [sections 302A-1165 and] section 302A-1166 and the state public charter school commission pursuant to sections 302D-37 and 302D-38 and any other information the department may collect on all children in the State who are three to four years old and children who will not be at least five years of age on or before July 31 of the current school year.

(b) To the extent not prohibited by administrative rule or law, the department, department of education, state public charter school commission, and executive office on early learning shall share any information gathered pursuant to sections [302A-1165,] 302A-1166, 302D‑37, and 302D-38 with each other, along with any other information the department, department of education, or state public charter school commission may collect on all children in the State who are three to four years old and children who will not be at least five years of age on or before July 31 of the current school year."

SECTION 4. Section 302A-1165, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is repealed.

["§302A-1165 Standardized assessment for students entering kindergarten. (a) The board of education shall adopt a kindergarten entry assessment, and the department of education shall administer the kindergarten entry assessment.

(b) The kindergarten entry assessment shall:

(1) Be administered within the first thirty days of each child's admission into kindergarten;

(2) Be a uniform, statewide assessment; provided that the assessment shall be conducted in English or Hawaiian;

(3) Cover all essential domains of school readiness, including:

(A) Language and literacy development;

(B) Cognition and general knowledge;

(C) Approaches to learning;

(D) Physical well-being and motor development; and

(E) Social and emotional development;

(4) Be used in conformance with the recommendations of the National Research Council reports on early childhood; and

(5) Be valid and reliable for its intended purpose.

(c) Information obtained from the kindergarten entry assessments shall be used to:

(1) Close the school readiness gap at kindergarten entry;

(2) Inform instruction in the early elementary school grades; and

(3) Inform parents of their children's status and to involve parents in decisions regarding their children's education.

(d) The department shall share the information gathered pursuant to this section with the department of human services, executive office on early learning, and state public charter school commission to the extent not otherwise prohibited by administrative rule or law."]

SECTION 5. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

DOE; Early Learning Program Attendance; Report

Description:

Requires the Department of Education to submit annual reports to the Legislature on prior attendance at early learning programs for students entering kindergarten. Repeals standardized assessment requirements for students entering kindergarten.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.