HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.R. NO.

180

TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 


HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

 

URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO DEVELOP A DEVELOPMENT, EARLY EDUCATION, AND EDUCATION PLAN FOR CHILDREN WITH DOWN SYNDROME.

 

 

 


     WHEREAS, children with Down syndrome generally develop at a slower rate and have different patterns of development than typically developing children. This delay in development means that children with Down syndrome will not learn to sit, stand, walk, or talk as early as other children. It also means that children with Down syndrome may need more repetition and more consistency than typically developing children when learning new skills; and

 

     WHEREAS, the goal of intervention programs for children with Down syndrome is to maximize each child's developmental potential and improve long-term functional outcomes for the children and their families; and

 

     WHEREAS, early intervention services provide developmentally appropriate activities to maximize a child's cognitive, communication, motor, self-help, and social-emotional growth until the child is ready for kindergarten; and

 

     WHEREAS, the state estimates the cost for children to receive early intervention services is less than it might be for a special education preschool program; and

 

     WHEREAS, it is recommended that a "total communication" approach (simultaneous use of sign language and speech), and visual cues be used to help children with Down syndrome develop expressive language and to learn academically; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 gives the state discretion to extend early intervention services to children with disabilities who are eligible for services under title 20 United States Code section 1419 and who previously received services under title 20 United States Code sections 1431-1444, until the children enter, or are eligible under state law to enter, kindergarten or elementary school, as appropriate; and

 

     WHEREAS, the continuation of early intervention services for eligible children with down syndrome until they are eligible to enter kindergarten will provide continuity of services until the child is ready to transition to a special education or kindergarten program; and

 

     WHEREAS, the §302A-410 Quality early education plan, of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, states, “Early education shall be delivered through private providers to the maximum extent possible, and provision shall be made to enable parents and guardians to opt for home care if they so choose by providing early childhood education resources in each school for in-home use”; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Early Learning Task Force, Act 259 (2006), Report to the Legislature, December 2006, states a Vision: An early learning system that provides quality early learning experiences, parental choice, access, affordability, sustainability, and a foundation for school success; and

 

     WHEREAS, a state-wide program to serve children with Down syndrome, to include a resource base, site-based and virtual-based, for parents and teachers, including scientifically-based research and instruction, such as Montessori-based curriculum, music/movement programs, and sign language, and developmentally appropriate activities and instruction based on the individual child’s developmental stages, not based on the individual child’s chronological age; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Department of Education’s Teleschool Branch provides television programming for K-12, yet there is a potential for all children who are not yet in Kindergarten, their families, their service providers and educators, to benefit from programming specifically for this developmental age group, accessible at home, at a group childcare home, at a public special education program; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2007, that the Department of Education, in cooperation with the Department of Health and the University of Hawaii, is requested to develop a standard for a Total Communication credential to be included in education and related certificate, undergraduate and graduate programs within the University of Hawaii system, and professional development curriculums in order for these individuals to be able to communicate with those individuals who use sign language and speech simultaneously; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education is requested to make a Memo of Agreement with Department of Health, beginning July 1, 2007, for the provision of early intervention services, as that term is defined under section 321-351, Hawaii Revised Statutes, under section 632 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 -- and under section 300.24 of the 34 Code of Federal Regulations published August 14, 2006, including sign language and other scientifically-based services, to children diagnosed with Down syndrome who are eligible for services under title 20 United States Code section 1419, and who previously received services under title 20 United States Code sections 1431-1444, until the children enter, or are eligible under state law to enter, kindergarten or elementary school, as appropriate; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education is requested to work cooperatively with the Department of Human Services, the Department of Health, college level education programs, early education organizations, parents of young children, and other appropriate organizations, in developing a quality developmental, early education and education plan for children with Down syndrome; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Education and Department of Education are requested to immediately consider classroom and office space at one of the three elementary schools in Enchanted Lake, Kailua, Oahu, noted as a school with lower enrollment, or in partnership with a private organization, for a pilot program for children with Down syndrome while developing a quality developmental, early education and education plan for children with Down syndrome; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education is requested to develop an early childhood programming network, such as through its Teleschool Branch, to include programming geared towards providing children, including young children with developmental disabilities, access to sign language instruction, such as: Signing Time! Sign language instructional videos and PBS television series currently shown on PBS Hawaii on Saturday mornings at 10:30, and Music Rhapsody’s educational videos with music, musical instruments and movement; and

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Public Library System retain materials relevant to the development, early education, and education of children with Down syndrome; and

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education, the Department of Health, and other agencies providing services to young children with Down syndrome and their families, requested to consider adopting the December 2005, Clinical Practice Guideline: Down Syndrome, Assessment and Intervention for Young Children (Age 0 to 3 Years), sponsored by the New York State Department of Health; and

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Education develop a policy to allow the Department of Education the flexibility to place children with Down syndrome with their developmental age-matched peers, and to receive sign language instruction; and

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education with consultation of the Department of Health is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2008; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to Chair of the Board of Education, the Superintendent of Education, the Director of the Department of Health, and the Director of the Department of Human Services.

 

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

Development, early education, education plan; children with Down syndrome; develop