STAND. COM. REP. NO. 882

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 844

       S.D. 2

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 844, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish the Executive Office on Early Learning Pre-kindergarten Program to provide high-quality early childhood education to the children of Hawaii.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services, Hawaii Teacher Standards Board, State Public Charter School Commission, Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, Early Learning Advisory Board, Hawaii State AFL-CIO, HE‘E Coalition, Kamehameha Schools, Special Education Advisory Council, and four individuals.  Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Education.

     Your Committee finds that last year the Legislature appropriated funds for twenty-one public Department of Education pre-kindergarten classrooms across the State.

     Your Committee also finds that statutorily creating a public pre-kindergarten program clearly establishes the legislative intent of supporting public early childhood education that is of high educational quality.  A public pre-kindergarten program will expand the opportunities for families in Hawaii to send their children to an early education program.

     Your Committee further finds that a high-quality public pre-kindergarten program prepares children for success in school and in life.  A public pre-kindergarten program will provide early interventions that may prevent the need for a child to receive remediation or more expensive and intensive special education or behavioral services in the future.  Some studies have shown that investment in early education yields future savings through reduced incarceration rates and reduced demand for welfare assistance and other social services.

     Your Committee believes that investing in Hawaii's youngest children will ultimately help prepare them to become well-educated, responsible, productive, and prosperous members of society.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by deleting the appropriation section that would have provided for funding in addition to any made in the General Appropriations Act of 2015.

     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. 844, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 844, S.D. 2.

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

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair