CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 193
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2007
RE: S.B. No. 613
S.D. 2
H.D. 2
C.D. 1
Honorable Colleen Hanabusa
President of the Senate
Twenty-Fourth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2007
State of Hawaii
Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twenty-Fourth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2007
State of Hawaii
Madam and Sir:
Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 613, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"
having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.
The purpose of this measure is to provide support and incentives to early childhood education programs and facilities in the State.
Your Committee on Conference finds that a critical teacher shortage problem exists in Hawaii. The need to recruit and retain highly qualified individuals is only surpassed by the need to grow a qualified teacher workforce. This is true at all levels of public school education, but of significant import at the early childhood education level. The State has made great strides to improve early childhood education by developing and making available junior kindergarten and kindergarten programs; however, as research indicates that early childhood education is instrumental in lifelong success, the State must do more to promote, enhance, and support programs and initiatives that address the needs of our young children.
Your Committee on Conference further finds that the Legislature, pursuant to Act 259, Session Laws of Hawaii 2006, established the Early Learning Education Task Force to develop a five-year plan for a coherent, comprehensive, and sustainable early learning system for children from birth to age five. The task force found five key elements to increasing early educator capacity in the State. This measure addresses these key factors by establishing a program to provide incentives to early education professionals and those seeking degrees in the field. Your Committee on Conference believes that the State must invest in our future teachers and assist them in achieving high academic levels and to grow a highly-qualified early education workforce.
Additionally, the need exists to capture and assist younger individuals interested in pursuing early education careers, including those at the high school level. Your Committee on Conference believes that all efforts should be explored to ensure the establishment of a qualified and sustainable early educator workforce.
Your Committee on Conference also determines that additional improvements to the early education system can be accomplished through the provision of land and other facilities for early childhood education programs.
Upon further review, your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:
(1) Including language in the purpose section and in statute that requires the Department of Education to collaborate with parents and providers to encourage inclusionary classes with special education eligible and general education students ages three to five, subject to available resources and individualized education plans;
(2) Requiring the Department of Education's kindergarten report card to assess an individual junior kindergarten or kindergarten student's readiness for advancement;
(3) Changing the language regarding a school's ability to move students between junior kindergarten and kindergarten to allow movement based on the kindergarten report card;
(4) Removing language that required schools to incorporate the Hawaii preschool content standards for four-year old children in developing appropriate instruction for the junior kindergarten tier;
(5) Reinstating language that allows the junior kindergarten and kindergarten program to include a model for blending junior kindergarten and kindergarten students into a single classroom;
(6) Authorizing the Department of Education to give preference to certain teachers; provided that such preference does not violate any collective bargaining agreement;
(7) Removing language creating a preference for junior kindergarten educational assistants who have early childhood education credentials;
(8) Removing amendments to the Hawaii Educator Loan Program that required ten per cent of the sums appropriated into the program's special fund to be used to assist educators seeking associate's or bachelor's degrees in early childhood education;
(9) Requiring the Department of Education and the Department of Human Services to collaborate to develop suitable Pre-plus classrooms on Department of Education campuses, including charter schools;
(10) Removing the requirement that the Department of Human Services administer the appropriated capital improvement project funds for the planning, design, and construction of temporary facilities to support Pre-plus programs on public school campuses;
(11) Removing the requirement that the Department of Accounting and General Services implement required planning, design, and construction functions for temporary facilities to support Pre-plus programs on designated public school campuses;
(12) Removing the requirement that the Department of Education procure preschool service delivery and implementation and provide general oversight of the Pre-plus program;
(13) Removing amendments to section 302A-1506.5(a), Hawaii Revised Statutes, requiring that early childhood education classrooms meet the licensing standards determined by the Departments of Education and Human Services;
(14) Changing the reporting requirement on early childhood education facilities from the Department of Health reporting to the Department of Education to the Department of Education reporting to the Legislature annually;
(15) Removing language authorizing the Department of Education to establish rules to effectuate section 302A-1506.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes;
(16) Removing the appropriation for the Hawaii Educator Loan Program;
(17) Removing the appropriation for the development of courses of public school junior kindergarten and kindergarten teachers for a certificate in early childhood education;
(18) Removing the authorization for the issuance of general obligation bonds, and the appropriation of funds therefrom, for Pre-plus facilities;
(19) Removing the authorization for the issuance of general obligation bonds, and the appropriation of funds therefrom, for the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations public-private Pre-plus initiative;
(20) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2007; and
(21) Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity and style.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 613, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 613, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, C.D. 1.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:
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ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE |
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ON THE PART OF THE SENATE |
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____________________________ ROY TAKUMI, Co-Chair |
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____________________________ NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair |
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____________________________ JERRY L. CHANG, Co-Chair |
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____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Co-Chair |
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____________________________ PONO CHONG, Co-Chair |
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____________________________ MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Co-Chair |
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