STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2670

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2236

       S.D. 2

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2236, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize the Executive Office on Early Learning (Office) to enter into agreements with the Department of Education or charter schools to use available classrooms for public preschool classrooms in the State.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Executive Office on Early Learning; Department of Human Services; University of Hawaii at Manoa, College of Education; Early Learning Advisory Board; Hawaii P-20; Samuel N. and Mary Castle Foundation; Hawaii Association for the Education of Young Children; PHOCUSED - Protecting Hawaii's Ohana, Children, Under Served, Elderly and Disabled; Kamehameha Schools; and two individuals.

     Your Committee finds that there is a great need for a high-quality preschool program for children and families for whom such a program is not available.  Research has shown that investing in high-quality early childhood education will result in higher levels of educational attainment and stronger social and economic well-being.  This measure will allow the Executive Office on Early Learning to provide more four-year-olds with access to preschool by using available Department of Education and charter school classrooms.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion; and

(2)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2236, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2236, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair