Establishes an office of early childhood education headed by the director of early childhood education. Requires the director to develop a plan for the establishment of a system of unversal access to early childhood care.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. Hawaii needs to strengthen its educational system through an intense focus on improving student achievement through standards reform. One highly recommended element for the success of educational reform is to enroll children in educational preschool programs prior to school entry, contributing to their readiness for success.

The preschool years are critically important for the growth of the brain, and for the development of children's curiosity and motivation to learn. Intensive early childhood education programs that are of high quality build a strong foundation for later learning. Pre-kindergarten programs prepare young children for success by exposing them to stimulating experiences and building personal and social skills in environments that encourage children to delight in learning. These preschool programs have consistently shown to have a positive effect on school achievement.

Despite the advantages of preschool attendance, far less than half of the three- and four-year-old children in Hawaii now participate in these programs. As reported in a publication titled, "Barely Making It on Our Own," most low-income families in Hawaii would have to spend over one quarter of their total monthly income to send their children to preschool. This is simply impossible for most of these families. Except for the children in Head Start, which covers only about one third of eligible children in Hawaii, preschool attendance is mostly limited to more affluent families.

Currently, at least eight thousand four hundred children from low-income families participate in preschool programs, with an estimated eight thousand children not attending preschool. Organizations are working to estimate the unmet need for early childhood care by examining statistics on child population and enrollment in subsidized preschool programs including Head Start, Native Hawaiian Child Care, Child Care Connection, Open Doors, Kamehameha Preschools, Military Child Development Centers, Even Start, Special Education Preschools, and other private and department of education programs.

Universal pre-kindergarten education would greatly benefit young working families who will be assured that their keiki are in dependable educational situations that they can afford. Over two-thirds of all children are in some sort of care outside of their home at least part of the time each week.

Building a strong preschool educational system will produce long-term economic benefits for Hawaii. It will expand the number of well-paid positions in early childhood services and foster the development of facilities and related services in communities throughout the State. Furthermore, comprehensive early childhood education and care is an indispensable first step to establishing an educated workforce, and is an investment in Hawaii now and in the future.

The purpose of this Act is to establish an office of early childhood education to be composed of a director of early childhood education who shall develop a plan to establish a system of universal access to early childhood education.

SECTION 2. Act 77, Session Laws of Hawaii 1997, is amended by adding a new section to the chapter established in section 2 of the Act to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§ -6 Office of early childhood education; established; universal access plan. (a) There is established the office of early childhood education to be placed within the department of human services for administrative purposes only.

(b) The board shall apppoint a director of early childhood education. The director shall be responsible for the development and administration of a plan for universal access to early childhood education. The director shall serve for a term of two years; provided that the board may discharge the director upon completion of the plan.

(c) The director shall develop a strategic plan for universal access to early childhood education programs. The plan shall:

SECTION 3. 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 2001-2002 and the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2002-2003 to develop a strategic plan for universal access to early childhood education.

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

SECTION 4. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2001.