Report Title:

Commission; Decentralize BOE and DOE

 

Description:

Convenes a commission to study the mechanics of decentralizing the board of education and department of education and to propose legislation to carry out this decentralization.

 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1398

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2001

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

 

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

SECTION 1. Currently there exists one board of education to oversee the department of education and to set educational policies and to administer those policies for the entire state. The legislature finds that the public's input in education would be much more meaningful if each community was able to elect all board members governing its respective district. Local elected boards of education give people of the smaller jurisdiction, the district, an opportunity to provide input at both the district and state levels. Decentralizing the board of education (board) as well as the department of education (department) would provide for some structure at the school level for public input. The public would be able to suggest improvements and to channel its efforts on behalf of the school in its community. Decentralizing the board would also provide parents, students, and other members of a school's community a mechanism by which they might bring their views to the attention of the principal and teachers. School personnel will have a mechanism by which they can marshal the support of parents and the immediate community. Lastly, the legislature finds that citizen control over public education through the mechanism of governing boards gives the educational system vitality, diversity, and responsiveness. The purpose of this Act is to convene a commission to study the mechanics of decentralizing the board of education and the department of education and proposing legislation to decentralize the board and department.

SECTION 2. There shall be convened a commission on decentralizing the board of education and the department of education (commission) to study the mechanics of decentralizing the board of education (board) and the department of education (department) and to propose legislation to do so.

SECTION 3. The commission shall consist of the chair of the board, the superintendent of education, the state auditor, a principal and a teacher from the department selected by the governor, a representative of Hawaii State Teacher's Association, a representative of United Public Workers, one representative from each county, and eight members of the public selected by a majority of the previously named members of the commission as follows:

One member from the area in and around Hilo comprised of the 1st through 4th representative districts;

One member from the area in and around Kona comprised of the 5th and 6th representative districts;

One member from the Maui district (the islands of Maui, Molokai, Lanai, and Kahoolawe) comprised of the 7th through 11th representative districts;

One member from the Kauai and Niihau district comprised of the 12th (that portion found on Kauai) through 14th representative districts

One member from the Honolulu district comprised of the 15th through 30th representative districts;

One member from the Central Oahu district comprised of the 31st through 45th representative districts except for those districts in the Leeward Oahu district;

One member from the Leeward Oahu district comprised of the 36th, 37th, and the 41st through 44th representative districts; and

One member from the Windward Oahu district comprised of the 46th through 51st representative districts.

SECTION 4. The commission shall issue an interim report to the legislature twenty days before the convening of the Regular Session of 2002 and a final report twenty days before the convening of the Regular Session of 2004.

SECTION 5. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2001-2002, to carry out the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 6. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect upon approval, provided that sections 5 and 6 shall take effect on July 1, 2001, and the entire Act shall be repealed on June 30, 2004.

INTRODUCED BY:

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