Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Human Services and Education, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 45 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to recognize and endorse as state policy the Hawaii State Preschool Content Standards developed by the Good Beginnings Interdepartmental Council's School Readiness Task Force.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the University of Hawaii at Manoa, College of Education; Maui Community College; and the Good Beginnings Alliance. The Department of Human Services submitted testimony in support of the intent of this measure.

Your Committees find that early childhood education is the foundation for all other levels of education, and that significant learning occurs before children enter school. Your Committees find that the Hawaii State Preschool Content Standards address the social-emotional, physical, and cognitive development of young children, and are intended to assist in shaping a well-rounded daily program that will provide children with the skills and abilities to succeed in school.

Your Committees further find that the Hawaii State Preschool Content Standards were developed based on a review of national subject area standards and early childhood standards from other states, informed by the Hawaii and external evaluators, local Department of Education standards, and national Head Start Performance Outcomes, and guided by principles published by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. As such, the Hawaii State Preschool Content Standards incorporate the most current research and guidelines for developmentally appropriate early childhood education programs.

Your Committees also find that the Hawaii State Preschool Content Standards establish developmentally appropriate preschool standards that support the statewide goal, adopted by the Legislature in 1998, that "All of Hawaii's children are safe, healthy, and ready to succeed" in school. In addition, this measure outlines guiding principles for standards and assessment to ensure that the standards are used appropriately.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting the word "alliance" from the title;

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Education that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 45, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 45, S.D. 1.