Improves early childhood education in the state by establishing a rating committee and appropriating funds to allow the committee to develop a rating system for early childhood education. (HB1300 HD1)

A BILL FOR AN ACT

PART I

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that nearly eighty-five per cent of brain development occurs in the first five years of life. Research has proven that the early years of a child are the most crucial in a child’s cognitive, emotional, social, and physical development, and it has been affirmed that early education measurably impacts K-12 student achievement.

The legislature further finds that every dollar spent on a quality preschool education generates a $7 return through improved student achievement and college attendance, and reduced welfare usage and crime rates. Early education encourages and provides the support that child care centers, family child care services, and families and friends need to improve the quality of life by ensuring that every child has a good beginning and maintains the potential with which they were born.

The purpose of this Act is to improve early childhood education in the state by implementing a rating system by which licenses will be issued and accreditation can be granted to early childhood education programs, and teacher quality can be assured, to make early education more accessible, affordable, and sustainable for all children.

PART II

RATING SYSTEM

SECTION 2. The legislature recognizes the importance of providing children with early education of the highest quality. Early childhood education programs, both public and private, should meet professionally accepted standards and be staffed by well-trained educators.

The legislature finds that several states have significantly improved their early childhood education system by adopting a rating system. Such a system provides standards by which the quality of early childhood education programs may be measured, standards that may include a program's licensing status, accreditation, learning environment, staff or director qualifications, staff or director training, staff-to-child ratios, and group size. The State can then issue licenses based on the rating of each program, and issue subsidies to children based on the rating of the program they attend.

The purpose of this part is to improve early childhood education in the state by establishing a rating committee and appropriating funds to allow the committee to develop a rating system for early childhood education, make recommendations to improve existing early childhood education programs, and propose an overall plan for implementing early childhood education for all children.

SECTION 3. Chapter 346, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§346- Rating system. The department of human services shall adopt a rating system based upon the recommendations of the rating committee established pursuant to Act 77, Session Laws of Hawaii 1997, as amended by Act 60, Session Laws of Hawaii 2000, as amended by Act 13, Session Laws of Hawaii 2002, according to which licenses will be issued to early childhood education programs. The rating system shall be based on program indicators which may include education levels of staff, compliance history of the child care facility, accessibility to students who are financially disadvantaged, and other indicators as recommended by the rating committee."

SECTION 4. Section 346-1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new definition to be appropriately inserted and to read as follows:

""Rating system" means a system that provides indicators by which the quality of early childhood education programs may be measured, and which may include indicators such as a program's licensing status, accreditation, learning environment, staff or director qualifications, staff or director training, staff-to-child ratios, and group size."

SECTION 5. Act 77, Session Laws of Hawaii 1997, section 2, as amended by Act 60, Session Laws of Hawaii 2000, as amended by Act 13, Session Laws of Hawaii 2002, is amended by adding a new section to read as follows:

"§ -7 Rating committee. (a) There is established within the school readiness task force convened by the interdepartmental council, the rating committee to develop a rating system for early childhood education. The committee shall:

(b) The rating committee shall consist of nine members as follows:

(3) The director of health or the director's designee;

(4) A representative from the good beginnings alliance;

(5) The office of Hawaiian affairs;

(6) Hawaii Headstart;

(9) One member from the business community.

(c) The rating committee may form advisory subcommittees to obtain input from key stakeholders as determined necessary by the committee.

(d) Members of the rating committee shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for expenses, including travel expenses, necessary for the performance of their duties.

(e) The rating committee shall submit a report of its progress, findings, and recommendations to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2006."

SECTION 6. 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 2005-2006 to support the operations of the rating committee.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of this part.

PART III

SECTION 7. This Act is intended to enhance, and not replace, existing rules and regulations of the department of human services.

SECTION 8. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 9. This Act shall take effect upon its approval; provided that:

(2) Section 6 shall take effect on July 1, 2005.