STAND. COM. REP. NO.  303-12

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

RE:   H.B. No. 1683

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1683 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide early learning opportunities in the State more efficiently by eliminating junior kindergarten beginning with the 2014-2015 school year.

The Department of Education supported this measure.  BeMyVoice! Hawaii supported the intent of this measure.  The Hawaii Educational Policy Center and a concerned individual opposed this measure.  The Department of Human Services, Early Learning Council, Hawaii State Teachers Association, League of Women Voters-Hawaii, and Good Beginnings Alliance provided comments.

     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. 1683 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

ROY TAKUMI, Chair