Report Title:

Fine arts positions

 

Description:

Appropriates funds for at least twenty-eight fine arts positions within the department of education.

 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1391

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2001

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to the arts.

 

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

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the fine arts are integral to a fully developed standards-based curriculum in public schools. The fine arts content and performance standards are one of ten core subjects that make up Hawaii's current content and performance standards for public schools as passed by the board of education. However, a lack of personnel in the fine arts within the department of education will keep this part of the content and performance standards from being fulfilled.

This problem is particularly acute at the school level, where there are few teachers who can provide consistent incremental instruction in the fine arts. Generally, the only schools that have personnel dedicated to the fine arts are those which use instructional resource augmentation (IRA) teachers in one of the fine arts disciplines. However, these IRA positions can be used flexibly and are often used in the areas of technology or physical education rather than the arts. There will not be a consistent arts curriculum in Hawaii's public schools until there are dedicated positions at the school level for specialists in visual arts, music, dance, and drama.

The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds for school-level positions in each of the four main disciplines of the fine arts.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $1,400,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2001-2002 for at least twenty-eight full-time equivalent (28.00 FTE) school-level positions within the department of education. There shall be at least:

(1) One specialist in dance;

(2) One specialist in drama;

(3) One specialist in visual arts; and

(4) One specialist in music,

in each of the seven departmental districts of the department of education.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2001.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________