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1		HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
2		WHEREAS, High quality learning opportunities, beginning at
3		birth, are an essential part of our nation's education system;
4		and
5		WHEREAS, Young children facing the most significant
6		challenges stand to benefit greatly from comprehensive and
7		consistent early learning experiences; and
8		WHEREAS, Research demonstrates that investing in early
9		childhood produces outcomes that help ensure children are
10		successful in school and life, such as increased kindergarten
11		readiness, increased high school graduation rates and college
12		attendance, and reduced special education rates; and
13		WHEREAS, The State of Illinois is a national leader in
14		supporting early care and education programs; and
15		WHEREAS, Head Start and State-funded early childhood
16		programs in Illinois are required to comply with a set of
17		standards related to ensuring a smooth transition of children
18		out of the program and into kindergarten; and
19		WHEREAS, Preschool for All programs must have a "written
20		plan to ensure that those children who are age-eligible for

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1		kindergarten are enrolled in school upon leaving the preschool
2		education program"; and
3		WHEREAS, The Illinois Preschool Expansion Grant
4		requirements and federal Head Start Performance Standards hold
5		these programs to an even higher standard by requiring programs
6		to collaborate with Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) to
7		support children and families through the transition to
8		kindergarten; and
9		WHEREAS, While requiring early childhood programs to
10		coordinate with the school districts into which children
11		transition is a good practice, many LEAs are not familiar with
12		the opportunity presented by potential partnerships with early
13		childhood providers, like the relationships fostered within
14		local early childhood community collaborations; and
15		WHEREAS, Illinois State law could better support those LEAs
16		by providing a framework that would help LEAs to identify best
17		practices for supporting kindergarten transitions and give
18		LEAs incentives to adopt these practices; and
19		WHEREAS, This framework would help the state build upon its
20		successful Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge grant; and
21		WHEREAS, Implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act

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1		(ESSA) provides an opportune moment to develop and put into
2		motion such a framework, as the law specifically authorizes
3		districts to use resources to support joint efforts to address
4		kindergarten transitions; therefore, be it
5		RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
6		HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE
7		CONCURRING HEREIN, that the P-20 Council in collaboration with
8		the Early Learning Council shall establish an Advisory
9		Committee for the purposes of reviewing kindergarten
10		transitions; and be it further
11		RESOLVED, That the Kindergarten Transitions Advisory
12		Committee shall consist of a diverse group of stakeholders and
13		practitioners, appointed by the Chair of the P-20 Council, and
14		including those from State agencies, early childhood advocacy
15		organizations, education related professional associations,
16		and members of the General Assembly; and be it further
17		RESOLVED, That the Advisory Committee shall submit a report
18		to the Governor, State Board of Education, and General Assembly
19		that includes recommendations aimed at informing the creation
20		of legislation that:
21		(1) Addresses the value of K-12 educators and
22		administrators partnering with early childhood programs in

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1		their communities, including Head Start, Preschool for
2		All, home visiting, and child care;
3		(2) Will not be prescriptive and will not place any
4		burdensome requirements on school districts;
5		(3) Encourages best practices for supporting
6		kindergarten transitions, including aligned professional
7		development, data collection, data sharing, and family
8		engagement, among others;
9		(4) Could define the capacity needed and potential
10		incentives for LEAs and early childhood programs to
11		implement these practices;
12		(5) Promotes best practices related to the continuity
13		of care between early childhood (including between
14		infant-toddler programs and programs for preschool-aged
15		children), early childhood special education, and special
16		education in the early elementary grades;
17		(6) Could define the role of early learning in required
18		school improvement processes, including the role of
19		kindergarten readiness data in school needs assessments
20		and the expansion of high-quality early learning as a
21		school improvement strategy;

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1		(7) Reinforces the State's commitment to the
2		importance of social and emotional learning for children of
3		all ages; and
4		(8) Promotes best practices for dual language
5		learners, which address the cultural and linguistic needs
6		of young children as they transition into kindergarten and
7		ways in which to engage underserved immigrant and mixed
8		status families; and be it further
9		RESOLVED, That the Kindergarten Transition Advisory
10		Committee shall first meet at the call of the Chair of the P-20
11		Council; and be it further
12		RESOLVED, That the Kindergarten Transition Advisory
13		Committee shall elect a Chair or Co-chairs at its first
14		meeting; and be it further
15		RESOLVED, That the Kindergarten Transition Advisory
16		Committee shall seek input from stakeholders and members of the
17		public; and be it further
18		RESOLVED, That the P-20 Council in collaboration with the
19		Early Learning Council shall provide administrative support to
20		the Kindergarten Transition Advisory Committee; and be it

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1		further
2		RESOLVED, That the Kindergarten Transition Advisory
3		Committee shall submit its report to the Governor and General
4		Assembly by September 29, 2018; and be it further
5		RESOLVED, That the Kindergarten Transition Advisory
6		Committee is dissolved upon submission of its report; and be it
7		further; and be it further
8		RESOLVED, That the P-20 Council and the Early Learning
9		Council shall post a copy of this resolution and the
10		Committee's report to its website.