Report Title:

Preschools Open Doors Program; Appropriation

Description:

Appropriates funds for the Preschools Open Doors Program. (SD2)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

222

TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2005

S.D. 2

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE PRESCHOOLS OPEN DOORS PROGRAM.

 

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

 

SECTION 1. The legislature recognizes that nearly eighty-five per cent of brain development occurs in the first five years of life. Research has proven that the early years of a child are the most crucial in a child’s cognitive, emotional, social, and physical development, and it has been affirmed that early education measurably impacts K-12 student achievement.

The legislature further finds that every dollar spent on a quality preschool education generates a seven dollar return, through improved student achievement and college attendance, and reduced welfare usage and crime rates. Early education supports and encourages child care centers, family child care services, and families and friends to improve the quality of life by ensuring that every child has a good beginning and maintains the potential with which they were born.

In 1998, the legislature adopted House Concurrent Resolution No. 38, which endorsed six desired child outcomes as state policy, the third of which declares that every child will be prepared for and succeed in school: each will have developmentally nurturing care and early education opportunities, meet age-appropriate knowledge and competencies, and graduate from high school. Currently in Hawaii, there are about seventy-eight thousand children under the age of five. Of these children, only fifty-two per cent attend preschool, and forty-five per cent of eligible low-income families do not receive any preschool subsidies. The Hawaii State School Readiness Assessment shows that only half of Hawaii’s children enter school ready to succeed.

The purpose of this Act is to increase the number of child care subsidies available through the preschools open doors program.

SECTION 2. 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 2005-2006 to increase the number of child care subsidies available through the preschools open doors program, to pay for administrative expenses and to provide parent workshops to recipients of child care subsidies in each county.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2005.