STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1247

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

RE:   S.B. No. 1329

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 1329, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EARLY LEARNING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to ensure continued support for the work of the Early Learning Council (ELC) toward developing the State's early learning system, by:

     (1)  Authorizing all ELC members to designate representatives for their role on the ELC;

     (2)  Renaming the Keiki First Steps Trust Fund as the Early Learning Trust Fund (Fund); and

     (3)  Specifying that unexpended moneys in the Fund shall not lapse to the credit of the general fund and shall remain in the Fund at the end of each fiscal year.

     The Department of Education, Hawaii Association for the Education of Young Children, Good Beginnings Alliance, Hawaii Association of Independent Schools, Institute for Native Pacific Education and Culture, and Kamehameha Schools supported this bill.  The ELC supported this measure with amendments.  The Department of Budget and Finance opposed this bill.  The Department of Human Services offered comments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Adding to the ELC a representative from a Head Start provider agency or the representative's designee;

     (2)  Requiring the ELC, in its development of the early learning system, to develop a plan to ensure that the needs of junior kindergarteners are addressed, including:

          (A)  Recommending an appropriate and effective curriculum;

          (B)  Establishing criteria for junior kindergarten teachers and aides;

          (C)  Incorporating Hawaii's preschool content standards for junior kindergarteners; and

          (D)  Recommending an effective transition from the early learning system to kindergarten that results in the phasing out of junior kindergarten;

     (3)  Deleting the specification that unexpended moneys in the Fund shall not lapse to the credit of the general fund and shall remain in the Fund at the end of each fiscal year, and instead requiring that any fiscal year 2008-2009 general fund appropriations for Comprehensive Student Support Services (EDN 150) designated for the early learning system that are unexpended or unencumbered at the end of the fiscal year, lapse into the Fund on June 30, 2009;

     (4)  Changing its effective date to upon its approval; provided that sections 3 and 4 shall take effect on June 29, 2009; and

     (5)  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 S.B. No. 1329, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1329, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

ROY TAKUMI, Chair