HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

258

TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2015

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to the university of hawaii.

 

 

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

 


     SECTION 1.  The college of education at the University of Hawaii provides educational research, policy studies, curriculum development, professional development, and educational services as well as teacher and educational leader preparation programs.  The college of education has eight academic departments and two major research units and offers undergraduate degrees, post-baccalaureate certificates, graduate certificates, master's degrees, and doctoral specializations.

     The college of education offers a broad variety of programs, including early childhood, elementary, middle school, and secondary education; Hawaiian education; physical education; athletic training; rehabilitation counseling; and educational administration, psychology, technology, and foundations.  One of the programs that the college of education previously offered was the Hookulāiwi center for Native Hawaiian and indigenous education.

     The Hookulāiwi program was recognized as a leading center for research on indigenous education, especially in the areas of teacher education, professional development schools partnerships, language revitalization, educational leadership, and educational policy development.  The program received numerous research awards and recognitions from national and international institutions of higher learning as well as from internationally-recognized research associations.  Although housed at the college of education, the Hookulāiwi program was a partnership with the Sovereign Councils of the Hawaiian Homelands Assembly and the department of education.  The goal of the Hookulāiwi program was to increase the number of Native Hawaiian teachers in Hawaii's schools.

     Of particular note, in the fall of 2008, the Hookulāiwi program helped longtime teachers of Niihau to become highly qualified according to federal guidelines.  In December 2013, four long-time teachers from Niihau earned their bachelor's degrees in education from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, bringing to a close a customized program that was designed to protect the private island's school under the No Child Left Behind Act.

     Despite the success and support of the Hookulāiwi program, the college of education recently ended this program.  As a result, stakeholders have called into question the college of education's ability to effectively manage its programs, especially when Hookulāiwi was specifically designed to increase the educational opportunities for students and teachers of Native Hawaiian ancestry and preserve and perpetuate the Native Hawaiian language and culture.

     The purpose of this Act is to request the auditor to examine the University of Hawaii at Manoa college of education's management of its programs that have ended within the last five fiscal years.

     SECTION 2.  (a)  The auditor shall examine the University of Hawaii at Manoa college of education's management of its programs that have ended within fiscal years 2010 to 2015.

     (b)  In conducting the examination, the auditor shall determine:

     (1)  The number of programs for which the college of education has ceased operations, including identifying the following:

         (A)  The purposes for which these programs were established;

         (B)  The accomplishments of these programs;

         (C)  Any challenges that these programs faced, including challenges that impacted program long-term longevity; and

         (D)  The operating costs and funding sources of these programs;

     (2)  The reasons for the ceasing of operations of the programs;

     (3)  The impact on the University of Hawaii, department of education, and community as a result of these programs ending; and

     (4)  Any other relevant areas that the auditor determines necessary to examine pursuant to this Act.

     (c)  The auditor shall submit a written report of findings and recommendations pursuant to this Act to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2016.


     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

 

 


 


 

Report Title:

University of Hawaii; College of Education; Auditor

 

Description:

Requests the auditor to examine the University of Hawaii at Manoa college of education's management of its programs that have ended within the last five fiscal years and submit a written report to the legislature prior to the convening of the regular session of 2016.

 

 

 

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