§302A-410  Quality early education plan. (a)  The department plan for quality early education shall focus on childrenfrom ages four up to six years.

(b)  The board shall adopt standards andcriteria for quality early education based on current national standards andthe needs of Hawaii's children.  The standards and criteria shall provide thebasis upon which the early education plan shall be developed.

(c)  The department of education shall workcooperatively with the department of human services, the department of health,college level education programs, early education organizations, parents ofyoung children, and other appropriate organizations, in developing a qualityearly education plan.  The plan shall include but not be limited to the following:

(1)  Standards for curriculum, activities, facilities,and teacher training for early childhood education;

(2)  Methods and materials designed to involve andeducate parents and guardians in the education and development of their youngchildren;

(3)  A timetable and implementation schedule, approvedby the board, to be submitted to the governor and the legislature;

(4)  Costs for delivery of early childhood services,including how costs can be shared between the public and private sectors; and

(5)  Assessment of training and certification capacityof teachers, including assurances by teacher training institutions to recruitand graduate qualified staff for early childhood education.

(d)  Early education shall be delivered throughprivate providers to the maximum extent possible, and provision shall be madeto enable parents and guardians to opt for home care if they so choose byproviding early childhood education resources in each school for in-home use.

(e)  Beginning with the 1997-1998 school year,this section shall be interpreted as though the term "certification"read "licensing", as the term is used in part III, subpart D, and ascircumstances require. [L 1996, c 89, pt of §2 and am c 298, §2; am L 2001, c312, §13; am L 2002, c 16, §17]

 

Note

 

  Contracts with private nonprofit corporations for earlyeducation and care services (repealed June 30, 2010).  L 1997, c 77, §2; L2000, c 60; L 2002, c 13, §2.

 

Cross References

 

  Early childhood education facilities; identifying sites, see§302A-1506.5.