00                       CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 69(FIN)                                                                    
01 "An Act establishing in the Department of Education and Early Development a                                             
02 voluntary parent and early childhood education program for pre-elementary aged                                          
03 children."                                                                                                              
04 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
05    * Section 1. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section                          
06 to read:                                                                                                                
07       SHORT TITLE. This Act may be known as the Alaska Parents as Teachers Act.                                         
08    * Sec. 2. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to                          
09 read:                                                                                                                   
10       PARENTS AS TEACHERS PROGRAM ESTABLISHED. (a) The Department of                                                    
11 Education and Early Development shall devise and implement a statewide parents as teachers                              
12 program for the benefit of children who are under five years of age. The program must                                   
13 provide a system of early childhood education that                                                                      
14            (1)  is evidence-based;                                                                                      

01            (2)  involves parents;                                                                                       
02            (3)  is consistent with available research and best practices for high quality                               
03 early childhood education;                                                                                              
04            (4)  incorporates guidelines adopted by the department for early learning that                               
05                 (A)  enhances school readiness;                                                                         
06                 (B)  increases parent understanding of child development and                                            
07       developmental milestones;                                                                                         
08                 (C)  reduces the incidence of child abuse and neglect;                                                  
09                 (D)  increases identification of health problems and developmental                                      
10       delays through regular screenings;                                                                                
11                 (E)  improves child health indicators, including immunization rates;                                    
12                 (F)  increases parental involvement; and                                                                
13            (5)  provides for effective and efficient coordination with or expansion of pre-                             
14 elementary education programs operating in the state, to the extent permitted by law.                                   
15       (b)  The Department of Education and Early Development shall develop and enter into                               
16 local partnerships to implement the program established under this section.                                             
17       (c)  The program established under this section terminates on July 1, 2013.