STAND. COM. REP. NO.  652-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 2435

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Human Services & Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 2435, H.D. 1, 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;

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

     (4)  Appropriating an unspecified amount of funds to provide services to general education students in a special education classroom.

     The Hawaii State Teachers Association and a concerned individual testified in support of this bill.  DOE and the State Council on Developmental Disabilities supported the intent of this measure.  DHS supported the concept of this bill.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Conforming DOE's quality early education statute to this measure by specifying that it apply to children ages three to six;

     (2)  Specifying DOE as the lead agency, in collaboration with DHS, in assessing the integration of special needs preschoolers into general education programs; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services & Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2435, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2435, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services & Housing,

____________________________

MAILE SHIMABUKURO, Chair