RELATING TO EARLY LEARNING.

HB908

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

908

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to Early learning
.

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

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SECTION 1.
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The legislature finds that high-quality early
childhood education programs are critical for young children's development.
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The legislature finds that more of our
children are entering kindergarten without the physical, cognitive, linguistic,
and social skills necessary to prepare them for success in school.
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For example, only thirty per cent of students
entering kindergarten demonstrated baseline readiness, according to data
provided by the department of education.
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It is no coincidence that the University of Hawaii Economic Research
Organization also reports that only fifty-five per cent of students who entered
kindergarten had attended preschool.
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This
is a lower percentage than in years past.

According to kindergarten teachers in
the department of education, many of the children who do not have experiences
in pre-kindergarten programs could be eighteen to twenty-four months behind in
development than their peers who do.
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The
link between school readiness and success in school is indisputable.
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The State must commit to efforts to promote
school readiness, especially in light of its expectation that kindergarten
students master the grade-level common core state standards to develop the
academic competencies and habits of mind necessary for college and career
success.

In 2009, Utah created an in-home,
technology-delivered kindergarten readiness program for preschool children.
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The program is administered by Waterford.org and
publicly funded to give four-year-old children individualized reading,
mathematics, and science instruction.
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Research
shows that children who participate in the program outperformed state averages
in grades first through third.
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In 2019,
the Waterford UPSTART program was brought to Hawaii as part of a 2019 TED
Audacious Project, giving two hundred keiki early learning opportunities.

The legislature finds that providing
preschool children across the State access to a home-based early learning
program with strong parental involvement would improve a child's transition to
five-year-old kindergarten.
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Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to establish
within
the early learning system a three-year pilot program that uses a home-based early
learning program to develop the school readiness of preschool children across
the State.

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SECTION 2.
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Chapter 302L, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as
follows:

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�302L-
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Home-based early learning program.
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(a)

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There is established within the early
learning system a three-year pilot program to administer a home-based early
learning program to
three- and four-year-old children who are in
the two years prior to kindergarten entry pursuant to section 302A-411, with
priority extended to underserved or at-risk children, as defined in section
302L-1.

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(b)
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A
service provider that administers a home-based early learning program under
this Act shall be selected in accordance with
chapter 103D, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

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(c)
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The office shall ensure that a home-based early learning program meets
the following standards:

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(3)
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The program
shall include the following components:

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(A)
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Computer-based
instruction to children on a home computer;

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(B)
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Individualized
software instruction in reading, mathematics, and science that align with Head
Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework implemented in accordance with the Head
Start Act, 42 United States Code section 9801 et seq.;

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(C)
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A
multisensory reading tutoring curriculum;

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(D)
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A
validated adaptive reading test that does not require the presence of trained
adults to administer and is an accurate indicator of reading readiness of
children who cannot read;

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(E)
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An
evaluation that measures a child's growth over the course of the program; and

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(F)
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Parental
engagement and involvement.

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(2)
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The service
provider shall:

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(A)
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Be
a nonprofit organization that has been granted tax exempt status by the
Internal Revenue Service pursuant to section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended;

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(B)
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Have
at least three years of experience in administering a home-based early learning
program; and

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(C)
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Demonstrate
the efficacy of a home-based early learning program to the office using
independent evaluations.

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(3)
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The service
provider shall provide:

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(A)
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Individualized
software instruction for children;

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(B)
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Technical
support to families for the installation and operation of the instructional
software; and

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(C)
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The
installation of a computer, a tablet, or other electronic or peripheral
equipment, and Internet access in homes of participants who are eligible to
receive free or reduced-price lunch under 42 United States Code 1758(b)(1).

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(4)
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The service
provider shall submit an annual report to the office that contains the
following information:

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(A)
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The
number of children participating in the program;

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(B)
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The
number of families that were provided a computer, tablet, or other electronic
or peripheral equipment, and Internet service;

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(C)
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The
frequency of use of the instructional software;

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(D)
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Student
performance on kindergarten entry assessments conducted by the board of
education for students who participated in the program and those who did not
participate in the program;

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(E)
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Obstacles
encountered with software usage, hardware, or providing technical assistance to
families; and

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(F)
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Parental
feedback on the program.
"

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SECTION 3.
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The office shall submit an annual report to
the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular
session of
2026, 2027, and
2028
that includes the information it receives pursuant to section 2 of
this Act.

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SECTION 4.
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There is appropriated out of the general
revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $750,000 or so much thereof as may
be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as
may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the implementation of the pilot
program established pursuant to section 2 of this Act.

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The sums

appropriated shall be expended by the executive office on early
learning for the purposes of this Act.

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SECTION 5.
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New statutory material is underscored.

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SECTION 6.
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This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025,
and shall be repealed on June 30, 2028.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

School
Readiness; Pilot Program; Home-based Early Learning Program

Description:

Establishes
a three-year pilot program
within
the early learning system to administer a home-based early learning program.
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Serves
three and four-year-old children.

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Provides individualized software
instruction in reading, mathematics, and science.
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Appropriates funds.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.