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91_HR0662 LRB9113468NTksA 1 HOUSE RESOLUTION 2 WHEREAS, The Georgia Voluntary Prekindergarten Program 3 provides children with quality preschool experiences 4 necessary for future school success and provides resources 5 and support for parents to ensure that success; and 6 WHEREAS, Georgia's program provides children with 7 experiences that foster the essentials for school readiness 8 in order to lower school drop-out rates, raise test scores, 9 and increase participation in postsecondary education; and 10 WHEREAS, House Bill 4325 creates a voluntary 11 prekindergarten program similar to Georgia's program, with 12 the program being offered free statewide to all children who 13 are 4 years of age through partnerships with licensed child 14 care facilities and public and private schools; therefore be 15 it 16 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 17 NINETY-FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 18 the State Board of Education shall assess the current effort 19 made in this State to provide prekindergarten classes to 20 children, including the number of children attending 21 prekindergarten classes, which communities have 22 prekindergarten classes, what kinds of programs offer 23 prekindergarten classes, and how much money the State Board 24 of Education budgets and spends for prekindergarten classes, 25 and shall acquire information, if available, from other 26 sources concerning prekindergarten; and be it further 27 RESOLVED, That the State Board of Education shall assess 28 the impact of prekindergarten on school readiness; and be it 29 further 30 RESOLVED, That the State Board of Education shall 31 determine the level of need for school readiness and -2- LRB9113468NTksA 1 prekindergarten and whether current prekindergarten efforts 2 should remain at the same level or should be expanded; and be 3 it further 4 RESOLVED, That the State Board of Education may survey 5 community interest in prekindergarten and hold regional 6 hearings to determine the interest in and need for 7 prekindergarten; and be it further 8 RESOLVED, That the State Board of Education shall review 9 other states' initiatives concerning prekindergarten, 10 especially Georgia's program; and be it further 11 RESOLVED, That the State Board of Education shall study 12 the feasibility of a program in this State similar to 13 Georgia's program and shall map a strategy for full 14 implementation of this program within 5 years; and be it 15 further 16 RESOLVED, That the State Board of Education shall assess 17 possible funding sources for prekindergarten, the cost of 18 implementing a voluntary prekindergarten program similar to 19 Georgia's program, and how that cost should be met; and be it 20 further 21 RESOLVED, That the State Board of Education shall report 22 its findings and recommendations concerning prekindergarten 23 to the General Assembly, by filing copies of its report with 24 the Clerk of the House and the Secretary of the Senate, and 25 to the Governor on or before March 1, 2001; and be it further 26 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 27 delivered to the State Board of Education.