STAND. COM. REP. NO.  936

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 500

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 500, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC PREKINDERGARTEN PROGRAMS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to strengthen early learning in Hawaii by:

     (1)  Authorizing the Executive Office on Early Learning to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the State Public Charter School Commission to administer the charter school prekindergarten classrooms; and

     (2)  Appropriating funds for each year of fiscal biennium 2017-2019:

          (A)  To hire 18 teachers and 18 educational assistants for 18 charter school prekindergarten classrooms and to provide substitutes for 10 professional-development days for teachers and educational assistants;

          (B)  For leadership professional development to build charter school administrators' understanding of high-quality early-childhood practices, supplies, school overhead, and facility-maintenance expenses to meet the group child care licensing requirements of the Department of Human Services; and

          (C)  For the administration and management of the charter school prekindergarten classrooms by the Executive Office on Early Learning in partnership with the State Public Charter School Commission.  

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Executive Office on Early Learning, State Public Charter School Commission, Kamaile Academy, Early Childhood Action Strategy, Ke Kula‘o Samuel M. Kamakau Laboratory Public Charter School, Early Learning Advisory Board, Ho‘okako‘o Corporation, Kamehameha Schools, Kualapu‘u School Public Conversion Charter, Ke Kula‘O Nawahiokalani‘opu‘u, Hawaii Children's Action Network, Hawaii Public Charter School Network, Kualapu‘u Elementary School and a few concerned individuals supported this measure.  A concerned individual opposed this measure.  

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 500, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair