1.1    .................... moves to amend H.F. No. 2983 as follows:
1.2Delete everything after the enacting clause and insert:

1.3    "Section 1. [4.046] OFFICE OF EARLY LEARNING.
1.4    (a) An Office of Early Learning is established to coordinate high quality
1.5prekindergarten and child care programs. The governor must appoint an executive director
1.6who is a recognized expert in the field of early childhood care and education who will
1.7facilitate communication and coordinate prekindergarten and child care programs under
1.8the administration of the Departments of Education and Human Services.
1.9    (b) The executive director of the Office of Early Learning must coordinate
1.10Department of Education and Human Services staff efforts to:
1.11    (1) consolidate and coordinate resources and public funding streams for early
1.12education and child care, and ensure the accountability and coordinated development of
1.13all early education and child care services to children from birth to age five;
1.14    (2) work with the Departments of Education and Human Services and MELF to
1.15create common standards for quality early childhood programming and rules for teacher
1.16training and certification;
1.17    (3) create a seamless transition from early childhood programs to kindergarten;
1.18    (4) encourage family choice by ensuring a mixed system of high quality public and
1.19private programs, with local points of entry, staffed by well-qualified professionals;
1.20    (5) assure parents a decisive role in the planning, operation, and evaluation of
1.21programs that aid families in the care of children;
1.22    (6) provide consumer education and accessibility to early education and child care
1.23resources;
1.24    (7) advance the quality of early education and child care programs in order to
1.25support the healthy development of children and preparation for their success in school;
2.1    (8) develop a seamless service delivery system of early education and child care
2.2programs administered by local, state, and federal agencies, with local points of entry;
2.3    (9) develop and manage an effective data collection system to support the necessary
2.4functions of a coordinated system of early education and child care in order to enable
2.5accurate evaluation of its impact;
2.6    (10) respect and be sensitive to family values and cultural heritage; and
2.7    (11) establish the administrative framework for and promote the development of
2.8early education and child care services in order to provide that such services, staffed
2.9by well-qualified professionals, are available in every community for all families that
2.10express a need for them.
2.11    (c) The Office of Early Learning must report to the legislative committees with
2.12jurisdiction over the early childhood education and child care programs by February 1 of
2.13each year on the status of the work required under paragraph (b) and any statutory changes
2.14necessary to improve quality and increase access."
2.15Amend the title accordingly