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Amend the resolve by striking out the title and substituting the following:
‘Resolve, To Direct the Maine Children's Growth Council To Study the Connections between Higher Education and Early Childhood Education’
Amend the resolve by striking out everything after the title and before the summary and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 1 Convene working group. Resolved: That the Maine Children's Growth Council, as established in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, chapter 621, shall convene a working group to review and make recommendations for administrative or legislative action, or both, concerning the existing and potential connections between higher education and early childhood education, including, but not limited to, the ways in which the higher education system can support the development of the early childhood education system, the ways the early childhood education system can help strengthen the higher education system and the support needed to make this reciprocal relationship sustainable. The Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education shall participate in the working group as well as representatives from public universities, community colleges, child care providers, Head Start and other community stakeholders that the council may identify; and be it further
Sec. 2 Charge of working group. Resolved: That the working group shall consider ideas and make recommendations, including proposing legislation, if necessary, for creating a partnership between child care providers and state institutions of higher learning that will allow for ongoing communication about the health and needs of the State's early childhood education and higher education systems; and be it further
Sec. 3 Report. Resolved: That the working group shall provide a report to the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services with findings and recommendations, including any draft legislation necessary, no later than January 15, 2010. The joint standing committee is authorized to submit a bill related to the subject of the report to the Second Regular Session of the 124th Legislature.’
 
SUMMARY
This amendment replaces the resolve and directs the Maine Children's Growth Council to convene a working group to make recommendations for strengthening the reciprocal relationship between the State's early childhood education system and the State's higher education system. The resolve requires the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education to participate in the working group as well as representatives from public universities, community colleges, child care providers, Head Start and other stakeholders the council identifies. It requires the working group to make recommendations for creating a partnership between child care providers and state institutions of higher learning that will allow for ongoing communications about the health and needs of the State's early childhood education and higher education systems. It requires the working group to provide a report to the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services with findings and recommendations, including any draft legislation necessary, no later than January 15, 2010 and authorizes the committee to submit a bill to the Second Regular Session of the 124th Legislature.