Bill Text: HI HB14 | 2013 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Early Education; Kindergarten; Early Learning System

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-01-18 - Referred to EDN, FIN, referral sheet 1 [HB14 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2013-HB14-Introduced.html

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	14
TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2013
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to early childhood education.

 

 

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

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that early childhood education is one of the best investments that our State can make.  It benefits children, their families, and their communities.  From improved academic outcomes to the economic savings to schools and the State, the benefits of high-quality early childhood education are irrefutable.  Research shows that providing a high quality education for young children yields significant long-term benefits.  Early childhood education results in successful students, because it increases high school graduation rates, improves children's performance on standardized tests, reduces grade repetition, and decreases the number of children placed in special education.  Early childhood education results in responsible adults, because it reduces crime and delinquency, lowers rates of teen pregnancy, leads to greater employment and higher wages as adults, and contributes to more stable families.  Early childhood education results in stronger communities, because it improves efficiency and productivity in the classroom.

     The purpose of this Act is to:

     (1)  Make kindergarten attendance mandatory, except for home-schooled children; and

     (2)  Establish the transition to kindergarten as one of the mandates of the early learning system, also known as keiki first steps.

     SECTION 2.  Section 302A-411, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsections (a) and (b) to read as follows:

     "(a)  The department shall establish and maintain kindergartens with a program of instruction as a part of the public school system; provided that:

     (1)  Attendance shall [not] be mandatory; and

     (2)  Charter schools shall be excluded from mandatory participation in the program.

     (b)  Beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, a child who will be at least five years of age on July 31 of the school year [may] shall attend a public school kindergarten."

     SECTION 3.  Section 302A-1132, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

     "(a)  Unless excluded from school or excepted from attendance, all children who will have arrived at the age of at least [six] five years[,] by July 1 of any school year and who will not have arrived at the age of eighteen years[,] by January 1 of any school year, shall attend either a public or private school for, and during, the school year, and any parent, guardian, or other person having the responsibility for, or care of, a child whose attendance at school is obligatory shall send the child to either a public or private school.  Attendance at a public or private school shall not be compulsory in the following cases:

     (1)  Where the child is physically or mentally unable to attend school (deafness and blindness excepted), of which fact the certificate of a duly licensed physician shall be sufficient evidence;

     (2)  Where the child, who has reached the fifteenth anniversary of birth, is suitably employed and has been excused from school attendance by the superintendent or the superintendent's authorized representative, or by a family court judge;

     (3)  Where, upon investigation by the family court, it has been shown that for any other reason the child may properly remain away from school;

     (4)  Where the child has graduated from high school;

     (5)  Where the child is enrolled in an appropriate alternative educational program as approved by the superintendent or the superintendent's authorized representative in accordance with the plans and policies of the department, or notification of intent to home school, including kindergarten, has been submitted to the principal of the public school that the child would otherwise be required to attend in accordance with department rules adopted to achieve this result; or

     (6)  Where:

         (A)  The child has attained the age of sixteen years;

         (B)  The principal has determined that:

              (i)  The child has engaged in behavior which is disruptive to other students, teachers, or staff; or

             (ii)  The child's non-attendance is chronic and has become a significant factor that hinders the child's learning; and

         (C)  The principal of the child's school, and the child's teacher or counselor, in consultation with the child and the child's parent, guardian, or other adult having legal responsibility for or care of the child, develops an alternative educational plan for the child.  The alternative educational plan shall include a process that shall permit the child to resume school.

          The principal of the child's school shall file the plan made pursuant to subparagraph (C) with the child's school record.  If the adult having legal responsibility for or care of the child disagrees with the plan, then the adult shall be responsible for obtaining appropriate educational services for the child."

     SECTION 4.  Section 302L-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§302L-2  Early learning system; keiki first steps.  There is established an early learning system, to be known as keiki first steps, that shall ensure a spectrum of high-quality early learning opportunities for children throughout the State, from birth until the time they enter kindergarten, with priority given to underserved or at-risk children.  The early learning system shall be developed and administered by the executive office on early learning to the extent permissible by law.  The early learning system shall:

     (1)  Be widely accessible and voluntary for both those served and program and service providers;

     (2)  Be a cohesive, comprehensive, and sustainable system in which:

         (A)  All existing early learning programs and services, whether publicly- or privately-run, which consist of a variety of early learning approaches, service deliveries, and settings, including center-based programs, family child care programs, family-child interaction learning programs, and home-based instruction programs designed to promote early learning, are coordinated, improved, and expanded;

         (B)  Public and private resources are maximized; and

         (C)  The use of public facilities for either publicly- or privately-run early learning programs is maximized;

     (3)  Provide high-quality early learning experiences with:

         (A)  Standards-based content and curriculum, and accountability; and

         (B)  Sufficient numbers of well-qualified educators and administrators who are fairly compensated and have access to continuing professional development;

     (4)  Offer opportunities for family and community engagement and parent education and support; [and]

     (5)  Be sensitive to family choice and cultural diversity[.]; and

     (6)  Facilitate the transition to kindergarten of children in the program, with priority given to underserved or at-risk children."

     SECTION 5.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 6.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2014; provided that section 4 shall take effect upon approval.

 

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

 

 

Report Title:

Early Education; Kindergarten; Early Learning System

 

Description:

Makes attendance at kindergarten mandatory.  Makes transition to kindergarten a directive for the early learning system.

 

 

 

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