THE SENATE                           S.R. NO.              97
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                    SENATE  RESOLUTION

  REQUESTING PREPARATION OF AN ARCHITECTURAL PLAN WHICH INCLUDES
    THE PARTICIPATION OF THE COMMUNITY PRIOR TO ESTABLISHING
    MIDDLE SCHOOLS.



 1        WHEREAS, the Governor, the Legislature, and the Department
 2   of Education agree that the following goals will ensure our
 3   children will be prepared for the 21st Century:
 4   
 5        (1)  By the year 2000, all children entering kindergarten
 6             or first grade will be ready and eager to learn; 
 7   
 8        (2)  By the year 2000, all students will demonstrate
 9             achievement in a range of challenging subjects,
10             including but not limited to English, mathematics,
11             science, and social studies, enabling them to think
12             critically, to solve problems, to communicate
13             effectively, and to function as contributing members
14             of society; 
15   
16        (3)  By the year 2000, all students will be responsible
17             and caring citizens with respect for themselves, for
18             others, and for the world in which they live;
19   
20        (4)  By the year 2000, all schools will provide students
21             with a nurturing environment conducive to learning;
22   
23        (5)  By the year 2000, all teachers, administrators, and
24             support staff will be prepared with the knowledge,
25             skills, and commitment necessary to ensure quality
26             educational services and to serve as increasingly
27             positive role models; 
28   
29        (6)  By the year 2000, the people of Hawaii will share in
30             the governance of education;
31   
32        (7)  By the year 2000, all segments of society will accept
33             responsibility for meeting the educational needs of
34             the community through individual commitment and
35             collaborative action; and
36   
37        (8)  By the year 2000, all segments of society will value
38             lifelong learning and will collaborate to ensure

 
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 1             access to continuing educational opportunity for
 2             everyone; 
 3   and
 4   
 5        WHEREAS, these goals should be considered when public
 6   school officials make any decisions regarding the structure of
 7   our public schools; and
 8   
 9        WHEREAS, there is a movement by public school officials to
10   mandate middle schools by combining the sixth grade with
11   seventh and eighth grades, however, parents and guardians of
12   students who may be affected may not have been informed of this
13   plan and have not had an opportunity for input and discussion;
14   and
15   
16        WHEREAS, there is concern as to the types of programs that
17   will be offered to sixth grade students when they are
18   integrated with intermediate grade level students; and 
19   
20        WHEREAS, the population of students in elementary schools
21   will decline as a result of sixth graders leaving; and
22   
23        WHEREAS, currently the sixth grade students in elementary
24   schools are role models and leaders who perform important
25   functions such as producing the school newspaper; and
26   
27        WHEREAS, the elementary schools will lose teachers,
28   educational assistants, clerks, and resource teachers as a
29   result of combining sixth grade with seventh and eighth grade;
30   and 
31   
32        WHEREAS, there is a need for the Department of Education
33   to understand the needs and programs that are necessary for
34   middle school students and parents; and 
35   
36        WHEREAS, the roles and responsibilities of the Governor
37   and Legislature are to adequately fund the Board of Education
38   and the Department of Education endorsed public educational
39   programs; now, therefore, 
40   
41        BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twentieth Legislature
42   of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 1999, that the Board
43   of Education shall direct the Department of Education to
44   develop an architectural plan with the involvement of the
45   community prior to implementing a policy mandating the
46   establishment of middle schools which combine the sixth grade
47   with seventh and eighth grades; and

 
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 1   
 2        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Education shall
 3   direct the Department of Education to ensure that the plan: 
 4   
 5        (1)  Ensures grade school programs are unchanged and
 6             student/teacher ratios are strictly met or exceeded
 7             for each grade school classroom, even when the
 8             student population of a grade school decreases with
 9             the elimination of the sixth grade; 
10   
11        (2)  Mandates that the required student/teacher ratios are
12             strictly met or exceeded for each middle school
13             classroom; 
14   
15        (3)  Determines the increased costs, if any, that will
16             result from creating middle schools; and
17   
18        (4)  Includes a budget proposal to be presented to the
19             Legislature for funding to implement the plan; 
20   
21   and 
22   
23        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Governor and the
24   Legislature will continue to fund the middle schools where
25   sixth graders attend on a voluntary basis until the Board of
26   Education and the Department of Education designs an action
27   plan to resolve all problems and concerns in mandating the
28   inclusion of sixth graders in middle schools; and 
29   
30        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
31   Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, the Board of
32   Education, and the Superintendent of Education.
33   
34 
35 
36 
37                         OFFERED BY:  ____________________________