| From the HSLDA E-lert Service: |
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| Date: From: Subject: | 4/6/2006 2:35:15 PM Home School Legal Defense Association Hawaii--Calls needed to stop Government Nanny Bills |
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====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== April 6, 2006 Hawaii--Calls needed to stop Government Nanny Bills Dear HSLDA members and friends: There are two government nanny bills which have made their way through the House and Senate that focus on early education for children as young as 4 years old. Senate Bill 3101 is currently in the House. This bill would establish an "early learning task force" to develop and expand early education programs for 4 and 5-year-old children. House Bill 3237 creates the Office of Early Learning in the Department of Education with the goal of developing, implementing and sustaining a comprehensive early learning system for all young children from birth to 5. These bills drastically increase Hawaii's spending on early education programs and demonstrate an effort to get very young children into the public education system. We are concerned that it is only a matter of time before these voluntary programs become mandatory, particularly with Hawaii's history on compulsory education bills. Please call your Senator and Representative today and urge them to vote against S.B. 3101 and H.B. 3237. ACTION REQUESTED: 1) Please call and email your Representative and give him or her this message in your own words: "Please vote against Senate Bill 3101. Creating the Early Learning Task Force would only waste taxpayer money. Most studies have shown that any educational gains are lost by the 3rd grade. Additionally, a recent study found attendance at preschool programs, even for short periods of time, hindered young children's social skills. " Do not identify yourself as a homeschooler; instead you can identify yourself as a concerned parent and taxpayer. Use our legislative toolbox to find your representative at http://www.hslda.org/toolbox . 2) Please call and email your Senator and give him or her this message in your own words: "Please vote against House Bill 3237. Creating the Office of Early Learning would only waste taxpayer money. Most studies have shown that any educational gains are lost by the 3rd grade. Additionally, a recent study found attendance at preschool programs, even for short periods of time, hindered young children's social skills. " Do not identify yourself as a homeschooler; instead you can identify yourself as a concerned parent and taxpayer. Use our legislative toolbox to find your senator at http://www.hslda.org/toolbox . BACKGROUND: Under Senate Bill 3101 the early learning task force would implement standards for age and developmentally appropriate curriculum. While these standards would only be for public programs at this time, the task force would be required to submit a report over the next two years to proposed legislation to advance early education. S.B. 3101 appropriates $250,000 for the early learning task force in 2006-2007 as well as $1,000,000 for junior kindergarten services. Another $300,000 in this bill is appropriated for Families for Resources and Early Access to Learning (Families for REAL) a 10-week program for parents and children age birth to 5 in the public school system. There is an additional appropriation of $700,000 for Early Head Start and Head Start in this bill, too. One of the goals of the Office of Early Learning created by House Bill 3237 will be to ensure voluntary access to early learning programs for all children age 4. Additionally, the Office of Early Learning is to implement a plan to motivate and promote the value of and participation in early childhood learning programs for parent and the general public. Currently H.B. 3237 appropriates an unspecified amount for the operation of the Office of Early Learning and $2.4 million for four pilot programs, one in each county. These pilot programs are to include: 1) parenting, caregiver, and family childcare education with social and emotional training; 2) play and learn group and parent participation preschool programs; 3) summer transition programs for children entering kindergarten or junior kindergarten. For more information on these bills online see http://www.hslda.org/hs/state/HI/default.asp . Both of these bills seek to spend several million dollars for early childhood care and education while claiming that this will have a long-term impact on their development. However, most studies have shown that any educational gain made by placing young children in school is lost by the 3rd grade. A 2005 study conducted by Stanford University and the University of California found attendance at preschool programs hindered young children's social skills. This study reported that "attendance in preschool centers, even for short periods of time each week, hinders the rate at which young children develop social skills and display the motivation to engage classroom tasks, as reported by their kindergarten teachers." The negative behavior that was demonstrated by this study included "children's externalizing behaviors (such as, aggression, bullying, acting up), interpersonal skills (such as, sharing and cooperation), and self control in engaging classroom tasks." Additional information can be found at http://www.hslda.org/docs/nche/Issues/E/ECE_BG_US_041220_1.pdf If you are not yet a member of HSLDA and would like to help us fight for greater homeschool freedom in Hawaii please visit http://www.hslda.org/join/apply.asp . Thank you for your part in fighting for freedom in Hawaii. Sincerely, Thomas Schmidt HSLDA Staff Attorney ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> How many acorns can a chipmunk hold in its cheeks? We don't know! But we do know that gathering little by little enables ordinary folks to prepare for hard times. That principle is behind HSLDA's payment plan: by paying a month at a time, families can receive an annual HSLDA membership. Meanwhile, they can feel secure as they homeschool and focus on other priorities -their children. Don't go nuts trying to pay for membership all at once. Choose one of our convenient payment plans. 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Thank you for your cooperation. ====================================================================== | |
