REPORT TITLE:
Parent-Comm. Networking Ctrs. 


DESCRIPTION:
Appropriates funds for parent-community networking centers
throughout the State. (HB2391 HD1)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        2391
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR PARENT-COMMUNITY NETWORKING CENTERS.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that there are four phases
 
 2 of development in a comprehensive parent-community networking
 
 3 center (PCNC) system of support for students, parents, and
 
 4 teachers.  Phases I and II begin with the establishment of a PCNC
 
 5 at the school-building level.  The part-time PCNC facilitator
 
 6 offers parents, students, and the community many opportunities to
 
 7 relate with one another, heighten the awareness of their
 
 8 strengths and needs, and learn and support each other and in so
 
 9 doing, create an overall sense of `ohana particularly conducive
 
10 to learning.  Phases III and IV focus on strengthening each
 
11 classroom unit as a learning community where teachers and parents
 
12 form very meaningful partnerships to ensure the student's well-
 
13 being and achievement of performance standards.
 
14      Evaluative reports indicate that the one hundred fifty-seven
 
15 PCNCs, funded at $14,532 per school for phases I and II, have
 
16 improved school-community relations, instilled positive
 
17 attitudinal changes among teachers and parents, and increased the
 
18 numbers of parents involved in the education of Hawaii's youth.
 

 
Page 2                                                     2391
                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 Having generated resources and services for the schools that are
 
 2 four times the amount spent on the program, the PCNC is also the
 
 3 most cost-effective program in the department of education.
 
 4      Unfortunately, funding for the first and second phases of
 
 5 PCNC is uneven across the state.  In many schools, PCNC funding
 
 6 is dismal or absent.  Two districts, Maui and Kauai, are without
 
 7 a district coordinator; eight schools on Maui and Kauai each
 
 8 received $14,532 only for fiscal year 1999-2000; forty-five other
 
 9 schools receive only $3,300 each year, and the remaining forty
 
10 schools receive no funding.
 
11      Therefore, the purpose of this Act is to ensure that every
 
12 public school has at least $14,532 to fund a PCNC program at the
 
13 school-building level, consisting of an initial part-time parent
 
14 facilitator, equipment, telephone, and supplies.
 
15      The legislature also finds that the more mature PCNCs must
 
16 move into phases III and IV of development where teacher-parent
 
17 partnerships are forged at the classroom level by the teacher and
 
18 volunteer room parent liaison.  To establish the infrastructure
 
19 and to begin that process, the state-level family support
 
20 services/PCNC office identified a mature PCNC site, collaborated
 
21 with the principal of Kapunahala elementary school and a family
 
22 focus group, and expanded the PCNC staff in fiscal year 1997-1998
 
23 with another part-time temporary teacher position (room parent
 
24 liaison coordinator) at the cost of $11,232 per year.
 

 
Page 3                                                     2391
                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      The legislature also finds that teacher-parent partnerships
 
 2 generated at the classroom/family level (phases III and IV)
 
 3 supported by a larger school/neighborhood system of support
 
 4 (phases I and II) are critical in enhancing the personal and
 
 5 social development of students and in helping them attain the
 
 6 performance standards.  Having established strong PCNCs operating
 
 7 at the school-building level (phases I and II), several
 
 8 elementary and middle schools are ready to move on to phases III
 
 9 and IV.  
 
10      SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
11 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $1 or so much thereof
 
12 as may be necessary for fiscal year 2000-2001 to be distributed
 
13 as follows:
 
14      (1)  $       for two district coordinator positions-- one
 
15           each in Maui and Kauai;
 
16      (2)  $       to continue the funding of PCNC facilitators at
 
17           King Kaumualii, Kapaa middle school, Iao intermediate,
 
18           Maui Waena intermediate, Maunaloa elementary, Pukalani
 
19           elementary, Kamalii elementary, and King Kekaulike high
 
20           schools on Kauai and Maui;
 
21      (3)  $       to the forty-five schools ($       per school)
 
22           that are currently funded at $       a year; and
 

 
 
 
Page 4                                                     2391
                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      (4)  $       to the forty schools ($       per school) that
 
 2           are not receiving any funds.
 
 3      SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
 4 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $1 or so much thereof
 
 5 as may be necessary for fiscal year 2000-2001 for eight part-time
 
 6 parent liaison coordinators ($       per coordinator) to
 
 7 demonstrate the efficacy of classroom-generated partnerships on
 
 8 student well-being and achievement in eight schools, one per
 
 9 district plus Kona.
 
10      SECTION 4.  The sums appropriated shall be expended by the
 
11 department of education for the purposes of this Act.
 
12      SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2000.