Bill Text: HI HB1066 | 2016 | Regular Session | Introduced

Hawaii House Bill 1066 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Junior Kindergarten; Appropriation ($)

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-12-17 - Carried over to 2016 Regular Session. [HB1066 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2016-HB1066-Introduced.html

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	1066
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2015
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to junior kindergarten.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. Section 302A-411, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§302A-411 [~~Kindergarten~~] Junior kindergarten and kindergarten program; establishment; attendance. (a) The department shall establish and maintain junior kindergartens and kindergartens with a program of instruction as a part of the public school system; provided that:

(1) Attendance in junior kindergarten shall not be mandatory;

(2) Beginning with the 2018-2019 school year, junior kindergarten classrooms shall be established on all department public elementary school campuses;

[~~(1)~~] (3) Attendance in kindergarten shall be mandatory, unless exempted by subsection (b) or section 302A-1132; and

[~~(2)~~] (4) Charter schools shall not be excluded from mandatory participation in the kindergarten program.

(b) The department shall establish a two-tier junior kindergarten and kindergarten program to support the range of developmental abilities of children in junior kindergarten and kindergarten. Schools shall not move students between junior kindergarten and kindergarten; except in cases where the movement is warranted and based on appropriate assessments determined by:

(1) A qualified teacher with early childhood education background or experience; and

(2) The formative and summative assessment of a student's academic, physical, social, and emotional abilities; provided that the department shall use successful assessment tools and protocols for determining a student's initial placement and for decision-making about a student's movement between tiers and into grade one. Junior kindergarten students may graduate directly to grade one when promotion is based on appropriate assessments and other progress data collected over time.

[~~(b)~~] (c) Beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, any parent, guardian, or other person having the responsibility for, or care of, a child who will be at least five years of age on or before July 31 of the school year shall enroll the child in a public school kindergarten unless the child is enrolled at a private school or the child's attendance is otherwise exempt under section 302A-1132.

[(c)] (d) The department may accept gifts to establish and maintain junior kindergartens and kindergartens."

SECTION 2. The department of education shall develop a phase-in procedure to ensure that beginning with the 2018-2019 school year, junior kindergarten classrooms are established on all department of education public elementary school campuses.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2015-2016 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2016-2017 for the establishment and support of junior kindergarten classrooms on department of education public elementary school campuses.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2015.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Junior Kindergarten; Appropriation

Description:

Requires the Department of Education to re-establish the junior kindergarten program. Requires junior kindergarten classrooms to be established on all Department of Education public elementary school campuses beginning with the 2018-2019 school year.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.