REPORT TITLE:
Early Childhood Assessments


DESCRIPTION:
Requires parents or guardians to bring three year old children to
the nearest public elementary school to assess whether their
psychological and physiological development to date has been
satisfactory.  Provides for follow-up by the Department of Health
and for Early Periodic Screening Diagnosis and Treatment by the
Department of Human Services, if requested by the school doing
the assessment.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                            259         
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.           
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO EARLY CHILDHOOD ASSESSMENTS. 


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

 1      SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the number of
 
 2 children now entering kindergarten without the skills necessary
 
 3 to be successful in school is increasing.  Lacking the necessary
 
 4 skills, many of these children do not enter school ready to
 
 5 learn, fall behind their peers, and therefore, require special
 
 6 education services.  The State has both a moral and a fiscal
 
 7 obligation to address the early childhood learning problems of
 
 8 these children before they enter school.  Currently, the
 
 9 department of education is required to service special needs
 
10 children from the age of three years.  
 
11      The legislature further finds that early detection and
 
12 remediation of childhood learning problems will significantly
 
13 improve learning.  Not only will students with learning problems
 
14 benefit from such a program, but also their parents, their
 
15 teachers, their fellow classmates, and the public school system.
 
16 In addition, early detection and intervention of early childhood
 
17 learning problems promises to decrease the future number of
 
18 clients under the Felix consent decree.  
 
19      The purpose of this Act is to provide a means for early
 
20 childhood assessment when a child reaches the age of three and to
 
21 provide for follow-up, when necessary.
 

 
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 1      SECTION 2.  Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
 2 amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated
 
 3 and to read as follows:
 
 4      "�302A-      Early childhood assessments.  (a)  All children
 
 5 shall be brought by their parents or guardians to the nearest
 
 6 public elementary school within ninety days following the third
 
 7 anniversary of their birth to assess their psychological and
 
 8 physiological development.  Additional assessments may be
 
 9 required as deemed necessary by the department.
 
10      (b)  The department shall inform all parents and guardians
 
11 of their responsibilities with respect to ensuring that their
 
12 children's psychological and physiological development is
 
13 progressing satisfactorily.  The department shall also provide
 
14 assistance and advice to parents and guardians in meeting these
 
15 responsibilities.
 
16      (c)  The department of human services shall provide early
 
17 periodic screening diagnosis and treatment for a child, if
 
18 requested by the school doing the assessment.
 
19      (d)  The department of health shall provide follow-up
 
20 services, if requested by the school doing the assessment."
 
21      SECTION 3.  New statutory material is underscored.
 

 
 
 
 
 
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                                     H.B. NO.           
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
 
 2 
 
 3                           INTRODUCED BY:  _______________________