HB908

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that high-quality early childhood education programs are critical for young children's development. The legislature finds that more of our children are entering kindergarten without the physical, cognitive, linguistic, and social skills necessary to prepare them for success in school. For example, only thirty per cent of students entering kindergarten demonstrated baseline readiness, according to data provided by the department of education. It is no coincidence that the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization also reports that only fifty-five per cent of students who entered kindergarten had attended preschool. This is a lower percentage than in years past.

According to kindergarten teachers in the department of education, many of the children who do not have experiences in pre-kindergarten programs could be eighteen to twenty-four months behind in development than their peers who do. The link between school readiness and success in school is indisputable. The State must commit to efforts to promote school readiness, especially in light of its expectation that kindergarten students master the grade-level common core state standards to develop the academic competencies and habits of mind necessary for college and career success.

In 2009, Utah created an in-home, technology-delivered kindergarten readiness program for preschool children. The program is administered by Waterford.org and publicly funded to give four-year-old children individualized reading, mathematics, and science instruction. Research shows that children who participate in the program outperformed state averages in grades first through third. In 2019, the Waterford UPSTART program was brought to Hawaii as part of a 2019 TED Audacious Project, giving two hundred keiki early learning opportunities.

The legislature finds that providing preschool children across the State access to a home-based early learning program with strong parental involvement would improve a child's transition to five-year-old kindergarten. Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to establish within the early learning system a three-year pilot program that uses a home-based early learning program to develop the school readiness of preschool children across the State.

SECTION 2. Chapter 302L, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§302L- Home-based early learning program. (a) There is established within the early learning system a three-year pilot program to administer a home-based early learning program to three- and four-year-old children who are in the two years prior to kindergarten entry pursuant to section 302A-411, with priority extended to underserved or at-risk children, as defined in section 302L-1.

(b) A service provider that administers a home-based early learning program under this Act shall be selected in accordance with chapter 103D, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

(3) The program shall include the following components:

(A) Computer-based instruction to children on a home computer;

(B) Individualized software instruction in reading, mathematics, and science that align with Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework implemented in accordance with the Head Start Act, 42 United States Code section 9801 et seq.;

(D) A validated adaptive reading test that does not require the presence of trained adults to administer and is an accurate indicator of reading readiness of children who cannot read;

(E) An evaluation that measures a child's growth over the course of the program; and

(F) Parental engagement and involvement.

(2) The service provider shall:

(A) Be a nonprofit organization that has been granted tax exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service pursuant to section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended;

(B) Have at least three years of experience in administering a home-based early learning program; and

(3) The service provider shall provide:

(A) Individualized software instruction for children;

(B) Technical support to families for the installation and operation of the instructional software; and

(C) The installation of a computer, a tablet, or other electronic or peripheral equipment, and Internet access in homes of participants who are eligible to receive free or reduced-price lunch under 42 United States Code 1758(b)(1).

(4) The service provider shall submit an annual report to the office that contains the following information:

(A) The number of children participating in the program;

(B) The number of families that were provided a computer, tablet, or other electronic or peripheral equipment, and Internet service;

(D) Student performance on kindergarten entry assessments conducted by the board of education for students who participated in the program and those who did not participate in the program;

(E) Obstacles encountered with software usage, hardware, or providing technical assistance to families; and

(F) Parental feedback on the program."

SECTION 3. The office shall submit an annual report to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2026, 2027, and 2028 that includes the information it receives pursuant to section 2 of this Act.

SECTION 4. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $750,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the implementation of the pilot program established pursuant to section 2 of this Act.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the executive office on early learning for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 5. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025, and shall be repealed on June 30, 2028.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	908
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII