STAND. COM. REP. NO.  153-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 2435

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2435 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to include special needs preschoolers in general education preschool programs by:

     (1)  Requiring the Quality Early Education Plan to include opportunities for special needs preschoolers who are between three to five years old to interact with their non-disabled peers;

     (2)  Requiring the Department of Education (DOE) and the Department of Human Services (DHS) to consider certain specified options in their efforts to include special needs preschoolers in general education preschool programs; and

     (3)  Appropriating an unspecified amount of funds to increase opportunities for interaction between special needs preschoolers and their non-disabled peers.

     The Hawaii State Teachers Association and Hawaii Centers for Independent Living testified in support of this bill.  DOE, DHS, and the State Council on Developmental Disabilities supported the intent of this measure.  The Hawaii Down Syndrome Congress offered comments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Specifying that a special education-eligible student may receive special education and related services in a private preschool program;

     (2)  Clarifying that special education personnel may provide services as provided in a student's individualized education plan at any preschool site;

     (3)  Appropriating an unspecified amount to provide services to general education students in a special education classroom; and

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2435, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2435, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Human Services & Housing.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,

____________________________

ROY TAKUMI, Chair