§302L-1.6 Early learning board. (a) There is established within the department of education for administrative purposes only an early learning board, whose members shall be appointed by the governor pursuant to section 26-34. The board shall have power, in accordance with law, to formulate statewide policy relating to early learning. The board shall be responsible for:

(1) Directing the office on how best to meet the developmental and educational needs of children, from prenatal care to entry into kindergarten;

(2) Providing recommendations to the office on improving the quality, availability, and coordination of early learning programs;

(3) Promoting collaboration across agencies and stakeholders serving young children; and

(4) Appointing the director of the office and evaluating the director on an annual basis.

(b) The board shall consist of the following voting members:

(1) A representative of center-based program providers or the representative's designee;

(2) A representative of family child care program providers;

(3) A representative of family-child interaction learning program providers;

(4) A representative of philanthropic organizations that support early learning or the representative's designee;

(5) A representative from a head start provider agency;

(6) A representative from the Hawaii Early Intervention Coordinating Council;

(7) A parent representative;

(8) A representative from the Hawaii chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics;

(9) A representative of home-visiting program providers;

(10) A representative of Hawaiian medium early learning providers; and

(11) A representative of the Hawaii Council of Mayors, or the representative's designee.

The superintendent of education, director of human services, director of health, and president of the University of Hawaii shall serve as ex officio, nonvoting members of the board.

The board shall invite the chief executive officer of Kamehameha Schools and the executive director of the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools, or their designees, to serve as voting members of the board.

(c) Except for the superintendent of education, directors of state departments, president of the University of Hawaii, chief executive officer of Kamehameha Schools, and the executive director of the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools, or their designees, the members of the board shall serve staggered terms as follows:

(1) The representative of center-based program providers shall serve a two-year term;

(2) The representative of family child care program providers shall serve a three-year term;

(3) The representative of family-child interaction learning program providers shall serve a three-year term;

(4) The representative of philanthropic organizations that support early learning shall serve a two-year term;

(5) The representative from a head start provider agency shall serve a three-year term;

(6) The representative from the Hawaii Early Intervention Coordinating Council shall serve a three-year term;

(7) The parent representative shall serve a two-year term;

(8) The representative from the Hawaii chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics shall serve a two-year term;

(9) The representative of home-visiting program providers shall serve a three-year term;

(10) The representative of Hawaiian medium early learning providers shall serve a two-year term; and

(11) The representative of the Hawaii Council of Mayors shall serve a three-year term.

(d) The board shall select a chairperson by a majority vote of its voting members. A majority of the voting members serving on the board shall constitute a quorum to conduct business. The concurrence of the majority of the voting members serving on the board shall be necessary to make any action of the board valid.

(e) The board may form workgroups and subcommittees, including with individuals who are not board members, to:

(1) Obtain resource information from early learning professionals and other individuals as deemed necessary by the board;

(2) Make recommendations to the board; and

(3) Perform other functions as deemed necessary by the board to fulfill its duties and responsibilities.

Two or more board members, but less than a quorum, may discuss matters relating to official board business in the course of their participation in a workgroup or subcommittee, and such discussion shall be a permitted interaction as provided for in section 92-2.5.

(f) The board may testify before the legislature on any matter related to its duties and responsibilities.

(g) Members of the board shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for expenses, including travel expenses, necessary for the performance of their duties. [L 2012, c 178, pt of §2; am L 2017, c 202, §4]