Requires DOE to use empty classrooms and identify construction sites for early childhood education facilities. Authorizes DOE to inspect early childhood education facilities. Requests studies on the progress of the various early childhood education programs and the age limits for public school junior kindergarten. Appropriates funds.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. Early childhood education is a critical component in the development of children. Studies have shown that children who do not have access to quality programs may enter kindergarten more than a year behind their peers. The legislature finds that access to early childhood education and supplying those programs with qualified teachers is a top priority in preparing children for school.

Currently, reports indicate only fifty five per cent of Hawaii's four year olds attend pre-school while half of the kindergarten teachers report their students are entering school unprepared. According to Good Beginnings Alliance, early childhood education programs are operating at about ninety two per cent of their enrollment capacity. This high demand with limited supply increases the tuition for pre-school programs, which prevents fixed-income families from sending their children to these programs.

In 2001, the State established the Pre-Plus program to expand access to affordable and quality early childhood education for children from low-income families. This program utilizes public-private partnerships to create pre-school programs on public school campuses. Each facility is operated by a provider who determines the cost of the program and is responsible for seeking the necessary funds for its operation. While the pre-plus program has thirteen pre-school sites built or in the process of being built to accommodate two hundred sixty students age three to four, the demand for these pre-school programs warrants additional support from the State. Other programs designed to enhance access of low income families to pre-school education such as child care connection Hawaii and pre-school open doors, administered by the department of human services, have been implemented as well. New facilities need to be identified or constructed to build capacity.

The legislature further finds that changes need to be made to ensure a sufficient number of fully qualified teachers for early childhood education. Teachers who have four-year college degrees and specialized training on how to educate young children are needed to support early childhood education programs. To improve the situation, funding for early childhood education training needs to be increased.

The purpose of this Act is to increase the State's support of early childhood education programs which would provide the need for more facilities, better trained teachers, and improved curriculum by:

SECTION 2. Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§302A-   Early childhood education facilities; identifying sites; inspections. (a) The department shall identify unused public school facilities for use by state early childhood education programs. Suitable empty classrooms as determined by the department shall be prepared and utilized for state early childhood education programs to ensure that licensing standards as determined by the department of education and department of human services are met. Priority shall be provided to facilities on sites with sufficient space for three or more classrooms to be renovated or constructed.

(b) The department shall assist in the identification of possible construction sites for private providers to build early childhood education facilities.

(c) The department shall inspect each early childhood education program facility as frequently as it deems necessary for the proper operation, sanitation, and safety of the facility. The inspections shall be made at least once annually. All early childhood education program facilities shall be open to visitation and inspection by representatives of the department of education, department of human services, and the department of health, and by designated representatives of the respective county fire departments, at all times."

SECTION 3. Early childhood education task force. (a) There is established a temporary task force within the department of education to review the progress of early childhood education programs within the State, including by means of asset mapping to ensure the task force may geographically identify the location of programs and those who are being served.

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

(c) The chair of the task force shall be designated by the members of the task force.

(d) The duties of the task force are as follows:

The legislative reference bureau shall assist with the drafting of the findings and recommendations.

(e) The task force shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including recommended legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2006, and shall cease to exist on June 30, 2006.

SECTION 4. The legislative reference bureau is requested to conduct a study of the impacts on the department of education and private providers should the State implement a seven-year phase-in component to the age limit requirement for children entering a public school junior kindergarten. The seven-year phase-in component shall allow any child admission into a public school junior kindergarten who is age five after August 1 and before:

The study shall include the following:

The legislative reference bureau shall submit its study to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the regular session of 2006.

SECTION 5. 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, for supplemental training for early childhood education teachers and staff.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 6. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 7. This Act shall take effect upon its approval; provided that section 5 shall be effective on July 1, 2005.