Bill is key part
of legislative joint economic package to support working class families
Honolulu, Hawaiʻi
–The
House Committee on Lower & Higher Education and the Committee on Finance heard
testimony today from groups and individuals in a joint hearing on HB
2543 HD 1. The bill would expand early learning opportunities for 3
and 4 year old children across the state by increasing funding for early
learning schools and by expanding the number of school facilities in areas they
are needed the most.
Higher & Lower Education Chair Justin H.
Woodson this early education bill is part of a joint
economic package introduced by the House and Senate, and supported
by the Ige Administration to address Hawaiʻi's cost of living obstacles. The joint working class
economic package is designed to tackle the issues highlighted in the Aloha
United Way sponsored report, "ALICE:
A Study of Financial Hardship in Hawaii."
Finance Committee Chair Sylvia Luke said
most of the testimony submitted on this bill is in support because families are
in desperate need of more early education availability. Luke said providing expanded
early education can reduce the cycle of poverty for parents that cannot work
because they must stay home to care for their young children. Subsequently, those
children then don't get the early learning they need to become better educated
citizens.
·
Requiring Department of Education (DOE) to adopt a
standardized assessment model for all kindergarten students and requires the
parents or guardians of public school kindergarten students to disclose
information on the child's prior child care program or prekindergarten
attendance to determine areas with the highest need for prekindergarten and
child care programs.
·
Expanding the Preschool Open Doors Program
eligibility from 4-year-old children to all children who are 3 to 4 years old
or will not be at least five years old on or before July 31 of the current
school year. It also establishes the Preschool Open Doors Trust Fund with
annual reporting regarding the revenues and expenditures of the fund.
·
Establishing a program in the Department of Human
Services to award grants for preschools and to fund positions for the Preschool
Open Doors Program. Appropriates funds for the Department of Human
Services to expand its information technology system for the purpose of
managing information on prekindergarten attendance and child care need and to
contract for and operate preschool and child care programs.
·
Establishing the Early Learning Coordinator position
within the Office of the Governor. The Early Learning Coordinator will
have the responsibility of reaching the goal of providing all children who are
3 to 4 years old, or will not be at least five years old on or before July 31
of the current school year, with enrollment in a preschool program by the year
2030.
·
Appropriating funds for the University of Hawaiʻi's ʻImiloa
Astronomy Center in Hilo to build classrooms for Hawaiian language immersion
pre-kindergarten programs and appropriates funds for building early learning
services classrooms on public library property.
Following
today's hearing, the committee members will review the testimony and return for
decision making at 2 p.m. Tuesday, February 25 in room 309.
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