Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2352, H.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to ensure that our children are better prepared to learn and succeed in school by:

The Office of the Lieutenant Governor, Department of Human Services, Special Assistant on Children and Youth, Kamehameha Schools, Institute for Native Pacific Education and Culture, Childcare Business Coalition, GBA, Good Beginnings Oahu County Council, Kauai Good Beginnings Council, Hawaii Association for the Education of Young Children, Hawaii Kids Watch, and Hawaii Careers with Young Children Registry submitted testimony in support of this measure. The Department of Education and Department of Health supported the intent of this measure. Hawaii Community Foundation submitted comments.

Your Committee finds that this measure will assist in building an even greater foundation for positive development in young children. This measure will establish a common set of indicators and expectations of young children prior to entering kindergarten and provides a method of measuring progress.

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 H.B. No. 2352, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.