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| Date: From: Subject: | 5/1/2006 2:17:58 PM Home School Legal Defense Association Hawaii--Please Call: Last Chance to Stop Government Nanny Bill |
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====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== May 1, 2006 Hawaii--Please Call: Last Chance to Stop Government Nanny Bill Dear HSLDA members and friends: The Conference Committee has come up with a compromise for Senate Bill 3101. The revised bill has been sent to both the House and Senate and will be voted on tomorrow, May 2. This bill would establish an "early learning task force" to develop and expand early education programs for all young children from birth to 5. One of the goals of the early learning task force will be to implement services to 4-year-old children and then proceed to younger age groups. S.B. 3101 appropriates over a $1,000,000 for various early learning programs. Additionally, the plan under this bill is to promote and advertise these early learning programs to families, policymakers, and the general public. 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. ACTION REQUESTED: Please call and email your state Senator and Representative immediately and give them 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 . 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 $350,000 for junior kindergarten services. Another $400,000 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 $500,000 for Early Head Start and Head Start in this bill, too. One of the goals of the Early Learning Task Force will be to ensure voluntary access to early learning programs for all children age 4. Additionally, one of their main goals is to implement a plan to motivate and promote the value of and participation in early childhood learning programs to families and the general public. Senate Bill 3101 seeks to spend over a 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/elink.asp?id=3003 . We need your help! 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 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> What's the shortest distance between two homeschoolers? HSLDA's elert service! When threats to homeschool freedoms arise, you want to be able to respond. We make it possible. 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Thank you for your cooperation. ====================================================================== | |
