STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1457

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: H.C.R. No. 78
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Human Services and Housing, to which was
referred H.C.R. No. 78 entitled: 

     "HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF
     EDUCATION TO DEVELOP A PLAN TO ADD PRE-SCHOOL FACILITIES AND
     PROGRAMS ON OR NEAR ALL NEWLY CONTRACTED OR RENOVATED
     ELEMENTARY CAMPUSES AND TO ALLOCATE CLASSROOM SPACE AT
     EXISTING ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS FOR PRE-SCHOOL FACILITIES AND
     PROGRAMS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this concurrent resolution, as received, is
to request the Department of Education (DOE) to:

     (1)  Develop a plan to add pre-school facilities and
          programs on or near all newly contracted or renovated
          elementary campuses; and

     (2)  Allocate classroom space at existing elementary schools
          for pre-school facilities and programs.

     The Hawaii Economic Opportunity Council testified in support
of this measure.  The Department of Human Services (DHS)
testified in support of the intent of this measure.  DOE and
Seagull Schools testified in opposition to this measure.

     Your Committee finds that while it is necessary to expand
quality, early education services, the cost of adopting the
policy recommended in this concurrent resolution is exorbitant.

 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1457
                                 Page 2

 
Therefore, your Committee has amended this measure by deleting
the substance and inserting language urging DOE to conduct a
needs assessment that:

     (1)  Identifies communities that lack pre-school and early
          childhood programs;

     (2)  Determines the adequacy of school and community
          facilities for such programs; and

     (3)  Determines the means to, the cost of, and the types of
          resources needed for developing universal access to
          preschool and early childhood programs.

     This concurrent resolution has also been amended by changing
the title to read, "URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO CONDUCT
A STATE-WIDE PRE-SCHOOL AND EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM NEEDS
ASSESSMENT".

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Human Services and Housing that is attached to this
report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of
H.C.R. No. 78, as amended herein, and recommends that it be
referred to the Committee on Education, in the form attached
hereto as H.C.R. No. 78, H.D. 1.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Human Services
                                   and Housing,



                                   ______________________________
                                   DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair