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. (SD2)

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that public investment in universal pre-kindergarten education provides a strong public and private return. Currently, sixty-two per cent of mothers in Hawaii work full-time. Working mothers often lose productivity due to inadequate childcare. Further, statistics show that over half of Hawaii's children enter kindergarten up to two years behind in school readiness. As children continue to enter school unprepared, negative outcomes will persist. Universal access to early childhood education can relieve and solve these childcare, work place, and educational problems.

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 legislature further finds that the preschool open doors program has been successful in providing quality services to prepare young children for school. The program provides funding to assist preschools in hiring qualified teachers with appropriate degrees or training in early childhood education.

The purpose of this Act is to:

SECTION 2. 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 Program 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 a quality rating system for early childhood education programs to:

(c) 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.

(d) 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.

(e) 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 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 2005-2006, and $          , 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.

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 2005-2006, for the preschool open doors program.

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

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect upon its approval;

provided that sections 3 and 4 shall take effect on July 1, 2005.