Report Title:
Early Childhood Education
Description:
Creates office of early learning within DOE. Appropriates funds. (SD2)
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
3237 |
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TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2006 |
H.D. 2 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
S.D. 2 |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. Act 151, Session Laws of Hawaii 2005, established in the University of Hawaii a temporary early childhood education task force to:
(1) Propose an overall plan to increase access to early childhood education opportunities for families, which may include incentives, resource development, the need for and availability of infrastructure, and possible funding sources;
(2) Develop plans and identify resources needed to improve the quality and services of early childhood learning programs;
(3) Design proposals to support the professional development of early childhood education staff;
(4) Create an implementation plan to motivate and promote the value of and participation in early childhood learning opportunities for parents and the general public, including the business community; and
(5) Recommend to the legislature a conceptual framework, along with proposals for policies and legislation necessary to facilitate and monitor the implementation of such a framework.
In December 2005, the temporary early childhood education task force submitted its report to the legislature.
The purpose of this Act is to implement the recommendations of the temporary early childhood education task force.
SECTION 2. The Hawaii Revised Statutes is amended by adding a new chapter to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
"Chapter
OFFICE OF EARLY LEARNING
§ -1 Office of early learning; established; board. (a) There is established the office of early learning, which shall be a body corporate and a public instrumentality of the State, for the purposes of implementing this chapter. The office of early learning shall be placed within the department of education for administrative purposes and staffed by an executive director and appropriate staff.
The office of early learning shall develop, implement, and provide for the sustainability of a coherent, comprehensive early learning system that maximizes public and private resources to provide early learning opportunities for all young children in the State up to five years of age.
(b) There is established the early learning policy board to govern the office of early learning, which shall be placed within the department of education for administrative purposes. The board shall be composed of members from the private and public sectors who shall be charged with addressing the vision, mission, goals, and guiding principles of Hawaii's early childhood learning system conceptual framework. The governor shall appoint the members of the board pursuant to section 26-34; provided that:
(1) Membership on the board shall not exceed twenty;
(2) The private sector shall be broadly represented and membership representing the private sector shall not be less than fifteen;
(3) The governor shall:
(A) Appoint members from a list of nominees submitted from the temporary early childhood education task force as identified in section 2(d) of Act 151, Session Laws of Hawaii 2005;
(B) Determine which board members shall serve ex-officio and whether they shall be voting or nonvoting members;
(C) Consider for membership additional individuals who do not represent organizations currently represented by members of the temporary early childhood education task force; and
(D) Appoint the members of the board no later than December 31, 2006; and
(4) The members of the temporary early childhood education task force shall act as a transitional board of directors until the governor appoints the permanent members of the board of directors pursuant to paragraph (3).
(c) The board shall select an executive director and appoint from its members a chairperson, vice chairperson, secretary, treasurer, and any other officers that the board may deem necessary or desirable to carry out its functions.
(d) The board shall obtain input from stakeholders, early education professionals, and other individuals as necessary.
(e) Members shall serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for necessary expenses, including travel expenses, incurred in the performance of their duties.
§ -2 Powers and duties. The office of early learning shall:
(1) Set standards, desired outcomes, and systems to evaluate early education programs;
(2) Ensure a statewide integrated early childhood system;
(3) Increase the quality of education through access to education and training of professionals;
(4) Provide funding for early childhood education programs and for the implementation of pilot programs as necessary;
(5) Develop an incremental implementation and financing plan for Hawaii's early learning system;
(6) Mandate cross-sector and interdepartmental collaboration;
(7) Accept and expend appropriations and any other state funding to support the operations of the office of early learning and to implement priorities and standards to help build and strengthen programs while enhancing their quality and capacity;
(8) Develop a plan to ensure equal voluntary access to high quality early learning experiences for all children who are four years of age;
(9) Establish a mechanism to ensure the recruitment and retention of a high quality workforce for early learning programs, and to address the need for an early childhood education compensation plan, access to higher education and community-based training, and technical assistance and supports including professional development counseling and scholarships; and
(10) Promote the importance of early learning to families, policymakers, and the general public.
§ -3 Early learning community councils. (a) The office of early learning shall establish four early learning community councils in the city and county of Honolulu and the counties of Hawaii, Kauai, and Maui. Community councils shall initiate and facilitate community representation so that the needs and plans of each community are reflected and represented in the plans of the respective community councils. These councils shall be supported by an early learning liaison responsible for determining community needs and developing plans that provide a variety and breadth of programs that families desire.
Each community council shall have at least one representative from each of the following: the departments of education, health, and human services; each community; an organization representing parents with young children; a provider of early education and care services; a private agency concerned with health, human services, or education; the business community; and local government.
(b) The duties of the early learning community councils shall be to:
(1) Collect and report data;
(2) Identify outcomes and indicators;
(3) Set strategic priorities;
(4) Coordinate community programs and services;
(5) Plan and budget to align programs with community strategic priorities;
(6) Assess performance of the community in relation to community and system strategic priorities; and
(7) Coordinate interagency programs and services including public awareness, technical assistance to providers, leadership and professional development, and one-stop services for financial aid.
§ -4 Nonprofit organization; contract. The office of early learning may contract with an early education organization that qualifies as a tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, to assist in its duties.
§ -5 Workforce and professional development for early childhood education. The office of early learning shall establish a mechanism to accomplish the following:
(1) Develop an early childhood education compensation plan for the State;
(2) Develop and implement a plan to support the recruitment and retention of the early childhood workforce for all early learning settings;
(3) Develop and implement a plan to increase access to higher education and community-based training;
(4) Conduct ongoing needs assessment and analysis of community early learning programs staffing needs;
(5) Plan and provide for community-specific implementation of recruitment and retention strategies with a particular focus on creating career and professional development counseling and support statewide;
(6) Advocate for and convene partners to ensure increased access to a broad array of early learning community-based and higher education options;
(7) Provide technical assistance to the counties to identify the needs and secure funding to expand workforce and professional development opportunities within their communities; and
(8) Collaborate with the department of education and the teacher education coordinating council.
§ -6 Pilot program. (a) The office of early learning shall conduct and oversee a five-year pilot program that shall include the following elements:
(1) A summer transition program for children entering kindergarten or junior kindergarten;
(2) Transition and professional development training for elementary school staff;
(3) Parenting, caregiver, and family childcare education with social and emotional training available to all community members year-round;
(4) Play and learn group and parent participation preschool programs that shall provide early childhood experiences and incorporate family education and support services; and
(5) Model preschool based on standards established by the office of early learning.
(b) The five-year pilot program shall cover five successive entering classes of students at one school in each county, and shall maintain a system of data collection tied directly to goals, standards, and outcomes.
(c) The pilot program shall be overseen administratively by the office of early learning.
(d) The office of early learning shall provide an annual report to the legislature on the pilot program findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2007, and each year thereafter."
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 2006-2007, for the operation of the office of early learning and to contract with an early education organization that qualifies as a tax exempt organization as set forth in this Act.
SECTION 4. 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 2006-2007, which represents an allocation of $ to the school in each county in which the pilot program established by this Act shall be implemented.
SECTION 5. The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050.