HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2706

TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2012

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

 

 

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

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that there is a critical shortage of teachers, especially excellent teachers, in Hawaiian communities.  On January 14, 2006, in an address to the Hawaii State Teachers Association legislative conference, the governor pinpointed two pressing educational dilemmas facing the State: a teacher shortage and low teacher morale.  Both, the governor said, were having "an extreme negative effect on student achievement."

     On August 16, 2006, the United States Department of Education issued a report on comprehensive state plans for ensuring that all public elementary and secondary school students, especially those attending low-performing, disadvantaged schools, are taught by highly qualified teachers and listed the State of Hawaii as one of four states not in compliance as required by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.  As a result, the United States Department of Education required the State to submit a revised plan that included specific steps to ensure that there was not a disproportionately high representation of less-qualified teachers in schools populated by poor and minority children.  On January 6, 2006, the Hawaii state representative from house district 51, Lanikai and Waimanalo, expressed this concern in a letter to the editor of the Honolulu Advertiser wherein the state representative noted that leeward coast public schools have a "perennial problem retaining teachers and are often assigned young teachers with little experience or local familiarity."

     Although Native Hawaiians make up approximately twenty per cent of the State’s general population, they are significantly underrepresented in the teaching force in Hawaii’s public schools, particularly in schools in Hawaiian communities.  As a result, Native Hawaiian children have relatively little opportunity to learn from teachers who can serve as role models for success in education.  This helps explain why many Native Hawaiian children in the Hawaii public school system do not consider post-secondary study an option.

     The legislature acknowledges the Hawaiian studies program's kupuna component and the secondary Hawaiian studies component currently in the curricula of Hawaii's public schools, but finds there is a need for more opportunities for Native Hawaiian language and culture in the curricula, as research indicates that children learn best when they are able to relate new learning to familiar experiences.

     In terms of student achievement, Native Hawaiian children as a group score in the bottom quartile on standardized tests of reading and mathematics, are overrepresented in special education, and have the highest school dropout rate.

     The urgency to improve teacher and curricula quality for schools in the Nanakuli and Waianae communities has led to the award of several multi-year federal Native Hawaiian Education Program grants that have provided resources to design and field test a model of in-service and pre-service teacher education and curriculum development at Nanaikapono elementary school in the Nanakuli-Pearl City-Waipahu complex.  The University of Hawaii at Manoa college of education Hookulaiwi:  Aha Hoonaauao Oiwi initiative is a multifaceted, community-based partnership dedicated to the achievement of a significantly greater number of fully licensed teachers, particularly Native Hawaiian teachers.  Hookulaiwi has evolved over an eleven-year period of intensive research and development.  It embraces the central belief that the first step towards the enhancement of education for Native Hawaiian children is the recruitment, retention, and professional development of high quality teachers.  The second step towards enhancement is the development of a pedagogy of hope that emerges from and affirms the cultural experiences of the Hawaiian people.

     The strength of Hookulaiwi, with regard to the preparation of outstanding teachers for Hawaii schools, is drawn from its exceptionally strong partnerships with Hawaiian programs at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, the Nanakuli and Waianae communities, the Molokai communities, the department of education public schools, and an international network of indigenous researchers in education.  It is through these partnerships that teachers learn about Hawaiian language and culture, literacy, mathematics, visual arts, science, theatre, health, law, politics, research methods, and much, much more.  The graduation of teachers who are well grounded in both Hawaiian and western knowledge and practices is the goal of this teacher preparation initiative.  With this in mind, Hookulaiwi prepares teachers for:

     (1)  The department of education Hawaiian language immersion program;

     (2)  Title I schools with large numbers of Hawaiian children; and

     (3)  Hawaiian charter schools,

and Native Hawaiian educational leaders in areas such as curriculum research, school administration, and teacher education through study at the master's and doctoral levels.

     Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to establish and resource Hookulaiwi:  Aha Hoonaauao Oiwi (center for Native Hawaiian and indigenous education) within the University of Hawaii at Manoa.  These state funds would complement the existing federal grant funds and be used to expand the current capability of this Nanakuli, Waianae, and Molokai community-based teacher preparation and curriculum development initiative to prepare qualified teachers and strong school curricula, by establishing more permanent faculty positions and a permanent operating infrastructure housed on the University of Hawaii at Manoa campus.

     SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $400,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2012-2013 to fund three permanent faculty positions and operating expenses for Hookulaiwi: Aha Hoonaauao Oiwi (center for Native Hawaiian and indigenous education) within the University of Hawaii at Manoa under program ID UOH 100; provided that:

     (1)  No funds shall be expended unless matched on a dollar-for-dollar basis by the office of Hawaiian affairs;

     (2)  These funds shall not be used for any other purpose; and

     (3)  Any funds unexpended or unencumbered at the end of the fiscal year for which the moneys are appropriated shall lapse to the general fund.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the University of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2012.


 


 

Report Title:

Department of Education; University of Hawaii; Hookulaiwi; Appropriation

 

Description:

Appropriates funds for three permanent positions and operating expenses for Hookulaiwi: Aha Hoonaauao Oiwi (the center for Native Hawaiian and indigenous education) within the University of Hawaii at Manoa.  Effective July 1, 2012.  (HB2706 HD1)

 

 

 

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