STAND. COM. REP. NO.669

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: S.B. No. 17

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 17, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to change the minimum age for entry into kindergarten.

Specifically, this bill changes the threshold from age five by December 31 of the school year to age five by October 15 of the school year beginning with the 2005-2006 school year, and age five by July 31 of the school year beginning with the 2006-2007 school year and thereafter.

This bill also:

(1) Adds a definition of "pre-kindergarten" to chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

(2) Requires the Department of Education to provide pre-kindergarten services, within available resources, for children who are not eligible to attend kindergarten due to the change in entry age;

(3) Allows the Department of Education to accept gifts to establish and maintain pre-kindergartens and offer available facilities for public or privately-operated pre-kindergartens;

(4) Allows the Department of Education to offer pre-kindergarten services to families at public schools outside of their school district;

(5) Repeals the provisions of section 302A-1131, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and reinserts relevant provisions in section 302A-411, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

(6) Requests the Department of Education to conduct an analysis of projected cost-savings and adverse impacts on resources that result from changing the entry age for kindergarten beginning with the 2005-2006 school year and mandating kindergarten attendance beginning with the 2006-2007 school year;

(7) Expresses the Legislature's intent that any cost-savings realized by the Department of Education be reallocated for pre-kindergarten programs; and

(8) Requires the Superintendent of Education to submit reports to the Legislature.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 17, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair