Report Title:

DOE; Teachers; Junior Kindergarten

Description:

Requires the department of education to staff junior kindergartens with qualified pre-school teachers and pre-school teacher aides, beginning with the 2007-2008 school year. Requires the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board to develop standards for teachers and teacher aides assigned to junior kindergarten classrooms. (SB873 HD1)

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

873

TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2005

S.D. 2

STATE OF HAWAII

H.D. 1

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to education.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. It was necessary to create conditions that would enable children to succeed in kindergarten and their subsequent experiences in school. The preparation of young children for school is a crucial element in their future success. Accordingly, the legislature established the two-tier junior kindergarten and kindergarten program to help facilitate a young child's matriculation into the school environment, through Act 219, Session Laws of Hawaii 2004.

However, the legislature finds that kindergarten teachers are not the most suitable staff for junior kindergartens. To achieve the results the legislature intended, it would be more sensible to provide the junior kindergartens with qualified pre-school teachers and aides who have specialized training for that age group. It is also less expensive and, therefore, more appropriate to use qualified pre-school teachers and pre-school teacher aides for junior kindergarten classrooms.

The purpose of this Act is to require the Department of Education to staff junior kindergartens with qualified pre-school teachers and pre-school teacher aides, beginning with the 2007-2008 school year.

SECTION 2. Section 302A-411, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§302A-411 Junior kindergarten and kindergarten program; establishment; attendance[.]; teachers and aides. (a) The department shall establish and maintain junior kindergartens and kindergartens with a program of instruction as a part of the public school system; provided that:

(1) Attendance shall not be mandatory; and

(2) New century charter schools and new century conversion charter schools shall be excluded from mandatory participation in the program.

(b) The department shall establish a two-tier junior kindergarten and kindergarten program to support the range of developmental abilities of children in junior kindergarten and kindergarten. Any school may move students between junior kindergarten and kindergarten as the school deems appropriate. Junior kindergarten students may graduate directly to grade one. The program shall include any or all of the following models:

(1) Classrooms composed exclusively of either junior kindergarten or kindergarten students;

(2) Coordination with public, private, or public-private entities to address the needs of junior kindergarten-eligible students within the school's community; and

(3) The blending of junior kindergarten and kindergarten students in a single classroom.

(c) Beginning with the 2004-2005 school year, a child who will be at least five years of age on or before December 31 of the school year may attend a public school kindergarten. Beginning with the 2006-2007 school year, a child who will be at least five years of age on or before August 1 of the school year may attend a public school kindergarten. Beginning with the 2006-2007 school year, a child who will be at least five years of age after August 1 and before January 1 of the school year may attend a public school junior kindergarten.

(d) The department shall create the categories of qualified pre-school teachers and pre-school teacher aides to be applied to pre-school teachers and pre-school teacher aides to be hired for junior kindergartens beginning with the 2007-2008 school year. The qualifications of pre-school teachers and pre-school teacher aides to be hired shall be as follows:

(1) Pre-school teachers who are hired for junior kindergarten shall have, at a minimum, a bachelor's degree from an accredited teacher preparation program; and

(2) Pre-school teacher aides who are hired for junior kindergarten shall have, at a minimum, an associate's degree in early childhood education from an accredited program.

[(d)] (e) The department may accept gifts to establish and maintain junior kindergartens and kindergartens."

SECTION 3. The Hawaii teacher standards board shall develop standards for teachers and teacher aides assigned to a junior kindergarten classroom. The standards shall be applied to teachers and teacher aides beginning with the 2007-2008 school year. In the development of the standards, the board shall consider:

(1) The existing teacher applicant pool;

(2) Requiring a bachelor's degree in elementary education with an endorsement in early childhood education for junior kindergarten teachers;

(3) Requiring an associate's degree in early childhood education for junior kindergarten teacher aides; and

(4) Specialized pre-school education training necessary for assignment to the junior kindergarten program.

SECTION 4. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

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