REPORT TITLE:
HNG Youth Challenge Program


DESCRIPTION:
Requires the department of education to transfer moneys to the
state DOD to support the Hawaii National Guard Youth Challenge
Program.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        
THE SENATE                              S.B. NO.           673
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO THE HAWAII NATIONAL GUARD YOUTH CHALLENGE PROGRAM. 


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

 1      SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that in 1993, the U.S.
 
 2 Congress provided funding for the national guard to conduct a
 
 3 pilot youth intervention program.  Hawaii was selected as one of
 
 4 fifteen pilot states.  Under the leadership of the adjutant
 
 5 general, the state department of defense established the "Hawaii
 
 6 National Guard Youth Challenge Program" at Bellows Air Force
 
 7 Station in 1994.  It presently operates at Barbers Point Naval
 
 8 Air Station.
 
 9      The program provides sixteen- to eighteen-year old youths
 
10 who are considered "at-risk" with a second chance to obtain their
 
11 high school diploma and become productive citizens.  The
 
12 alternative learning program is equipped to provide alternate
 
13 educational opportunities for at-risk youths.
 
14      The Hawaii national guard youth challenge program, through
 
15 its basic skills schooling, teaching of community values, career
 
16 exploration and employment opportunities, and mentorships that
 
17 encourage active monitoring of progress after completion of the
 
18 program, has successfully helped 269 youths earn diplomas between
 
19 1995 to 1997.  This program provides positive alternatives for
 

 
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 1 at-risk youths and has proven to successfully prevent one-time
 
 2 at-risk youths from ending up in drug court or leading a life of
 
 3 crime.
 
 4      In 1997, the program received the USO national guard youth
 
 5 challenge program educational excellence award, distinguishing it
 
 6 as the best program among fourteen other programs in the nation.
 
 7 In 1996, Hawaii's program was honored with the federal
 
 8 organization excellence award for the pacific region.  The
 
 9 department of defense's records show that there are no other
 
10 successful voluntary twenty-two week residential programs in
 
11 Hawaii for sixteen- to eighteen-year old youths considered to be
 
12 "at risk."
 
13      In 1998, the U.S. Congress established a permanent youth
 
14 challenge program within the national guard which includes the
 
15 Hawaii national guard youth challenge program.  The federal youth
 
16 challenge program has committed to providing matching funds for
 
17 the Hawaii program.  Matching funds, committed through fiscal
 
18 year 2001-2002, are as follows:
 
19      (1)  Fiscal year 1998-1999 at seventy-five per cent;
 
20      (2)  Fiscal year 1999-2000 at seventy per cent;
 
21      (3)  Fiscal year 2000-2001 at sixty-five per cent; and
 
22      (4)  Fiscal year 2001-2002 at sixty per cent.
 
23      The legislature also finds that in 1996, legislation was
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           673
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 passed to lower the age of compulsory school attendance in Hawaii
 
 2 from eighteen to sixteen; provided that the principal determines
 
 3 that the child's attendance is disruptive or hinders the child's
 
 4 learning, and that an alternative educational plan is developed
 
 5 for the child.  School principals, in consultation with school
 
 6 personnel, the child, and the child's parent or guardian, need to
 
 7 collaborate in order to determine the best possible alternative
 
 8 educational plan for a child who may not be able to learn within
 
 9 the traditional school environment.  Further, as part of this
 
10 collaborative effort, the child and the child's parent or
 
11 guardian must be given a reasonable opportunity to participate in
 
12 the development of any alternative educational plan, in order to
 
13 assure the child's and parent's or guardian's commitment to and
 
14 successful implementation of the plan.
 
15      The legislature further finds that the department of
 
16 education offers a variety of programs and services for at-risk
 
17 youth, and believes that collaboration among departments and
 
18 agencies that provide services and programs for at-risk youth
 
19 would result in optimal educational and vocational opportunities
 
20 and hope for the future of our children.
 
21      The purpose of this Act is to require the department of
 
22 education to contribute funding to support the maintenance and
 
23 operation of the Hawaii national guard youth challenge program.
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           673
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      SECTION 2.  The department of education shall transfer
 
 2 moneys appropriated to the department of education in an amount
 
 3 equal to $805,000 for fiscal year 1999-2000 and $945,000 for
 
 4 fiscal year 2000-2001 to the department of defense to match
 
 5 federal funds to finance the operations of the Hawaii national
 
 6 guard youth challenge program. 
 
 7      SECTION 3.  The sums transferred shall be expended by the
 
 8 state department of defense for the Hawaii national guard youth
 
 9 challenge program.
 
10      SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 1999.
 
11 
 
12                           INTRODUCED BY:  _______________________
 
13