Improves early childhood education in the State by establishing an early childhood education task force to increase access to early learning opportunities and assist in the development of an incentives system for early childhood education. Creates a two-year pilot program for universal access to early childhood education for children age 5 or younger whose families are unable to afford quality early childhood education. Makes appropriations. (SD1)

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 and a child's ability to integrate into society as a productive, contributing member.

The legislature further finds that every dollar invested on a quality early childhood education saves $7 in costs for the welfare and penal systems 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 all children have a good beginning and reach the potential with which they were born.

The purpose of this Act is to improve early childhood education in the State by creating a system that links services and support programs to ensure preschools and family child care of the highest quality and to support parents in providing positive early learning experiences for children. Such a system would implement incentives for early childhood education programs and services and a tiered subsidy system, by which:

The legislature believes that the implementation of such a system would help identify incentives for programs and services, develop additional opportunities for early childhood learning, and create awareness among parents and guardians of the importance of early learning experiences and motivate them to provide these experiences for their children. Through the system, teacher quality can also be assured and early education made more accessible, affordable, and sustainable for all children.

PART II

INCENTIVES FOR QUALITY INVESTMENT 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 an incentives system. Such a system provides standards by which the quality of early childhood education programs may be measured. These standards may include a program's licensing status, accreditation, learning environment, staff or director qualifications and training, staff-to-child ratios, and group size. The State can then issue subsidies to children based on the quality of the program they attend and encourage other families to participate in the early learning experiences of their children.

The purpose of this part is to improve early childhood education in the state by establishing an incentives for quality investment system.

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

"§346-   Incentives for quality investment system. The department of human services shall adopt an incentives for quality investment system based upon the recommendations of the early childhood education task force established pursuant to this Act, upon which licenses will be issued to early childhood education programs. The incentives for quality investment system shall be based on quality indicators which may include:

(1) Education levels of staff;

(2) Compliance history of the child care facility;

(4) Learning program or curriculum,

and other indicators as recommended by the early childhood education task force."

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

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

PART III

SECTION 5. Early childhood services are spread among four state agencies and throughout the private sector. While the legislature finds that these programs and funds do not need to be centralized, there is a need for a coherent strategy to increase access, improve quality, and ensure accountability for positive results.

Building on the school readiness task force recommendations to the 2003 legislature, the purpose of this part is to establish a task force to oversee the operational planning to increase access to early learning opportunities, enhance infrastructure, and improve school readiness.

SECTION 6. (a) There is established an early childhood education task force to oversee the operational planning to increase access to early learning opportunities, enhance infrastructure, and improve school readiness. The task force shall review the scope of work, strategies, and infrastructure required for an early childhood education and care system that allows all young children access to a quality early education of their choice.

(b) The task force shall make recommendations on the following:

(c) The task force shall consist of the following members:

The good beginnings alliance shall facilitate the meetings of the early childhood education task force.

(d) The early childhood education task force may form a subcommittee, to be chaired by the representative from the department of human services, to obtain input from key stakeholders as determined necessary by the task force.

(e) Members of the early childhood education task force shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for expenses, including travel expenses, necessary for the performance of their duties.

(f) All meetings of the early childhood education task force shall be exempt from chapter 92, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

(g) The early childhood education task force shall submit a report of its progress, findings, and recommendations to the department of human services and the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2006.

SECTION 7. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $100,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2005-2006 to support the operations of the early childhood education task force.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the good beginnings alliance for the purposes of this part.

PART IV

SECTION 8. The State has recognized the benefits of early childhood education, creating programs such as preschool open doors, after-school plus, pre-plus, and Healthy Start. Further, intermediaries like the Good Beginnings Alliance provide system oversight and coordination over these programs. Accordingly, the State has laid the foundation for preschool standards and professional development systems with increased opportunities. Universal pre-kindergarten has been endorsed by the Hawaii's School Readiness Task Force, Hawaii's P-20 Initiative, the Hawaii State Teachers Association, and the Hawaii Business Roundtable as the next step.

An overwhelming majority of the people in Hawaii agree that preschool has positive academic and workforce impacts. Eighty-three per cent of residents polled believe that preschool increases academic achievement and seventy-nine per cent agree that employee absences occur due to difficulty in locating reliable childcare. Despite awareness of these positive impacts, many parents cannot afford the high expense of preschool. Accordingly, a large majority of residents favors state subsidization of preschool based on income levels and perceives increased state funding for preschool as extremely important.

The purpose of this part is to appropriate funds to the department of human services for a two-year pilot program for universal access to early childhood education.

SECTION 9. Early childhood education pilot program. (a) The department of human services shall establish a two-year pilot program to provide universal access to early childhood education for children age five and under to families in critical need as determined by the department.

In the development of the pilot program, the department shall consider implementing community-based models that emphasize parent-child interaction, such as the Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters, which supports families of children age five and under in their role as the child's first teacher. The department shall incorporate into the pilot program home and community-based programs that give parents the tools, skills, and confidence they need to prepare their children for school success. Program curriculum shall be research-based and the outcomes proven through evaluation. The goal of the pilot program shall be to bring families, organizations, and communities together as well as remove the barriers to participation in school readiness programs.

(b) The department shall develop standards and qualifications for participation in the pilot program and focus on families whose income level is below two hundred and fifty per cent of the federal poverty level.

(c) The department shall submit a report on the pilot program, including its status, outcomes, findings, and recommendations on how to improve universal access to early childhood education to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2006.

(d) The department shall submit a final report on the pilot program, including information on outcomes and lessons learned, and findings and recommendations for continued implementation of universal access to early childhood education to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2007.

SECTION 10. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $2,000,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2005-2006, and $2,000,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007, for the early childhood education pilot program for children age five and under.

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

PART V

SECTION 11. This Act is intended to enhance, and not replace, existing rules and regulations of the department of human services.

SECTION 12. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 13. This Act shall take effect upon its approval; provided that:

(2) Section 6 shall be repealed on June 30, 2008; and

(3) Sections 7 and 10 shall take effect on July 1, 2005.