REPORT TITLE:
Education


DESCRIPTION:
Appropriates funds to the department of education for a parent-
community networking center district coordinator position for
Kauai.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                             
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.841        
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                     
STATE OF HAWAII                                                 
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR A PARENT-COMMUNITY NETWORKING CENTER
   DISTRICT COORDINATOR POSITION FOR KAUAI.



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

 1      SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that in the three years
 
 2 that the Kauai parent-community networking center program has
 
 3 gone without funding for a district coordinator, those involved
 
 4 in the program have struggled against mounting odds to maintain
 
 5 the program's integrity and intent.
 
 6      District coordinators provide school facilitators with
 
 7 ongoing training about the basic philosophies of the parent-
 
 8 community networking center program, and the respective roles and
 
 9 responsibilities of all stakeholders (parents, teachers,
 
10 students, school staff, and community members) in the schools of
 
11 the district.  The district coordinator also, as an essential
 
12 element of the parent-community networking center program, trains
 
13 school facilitators to develop the following important skills:
 
14      (1)  Facilitate the development of parent-community
 
15           networking centers, with the goal of improving student
 
16           achievement and performance;
 
17      (2)  Facilitate improved relationships between all school
 
18           stakeholders; and
 
19      (3)  Develop, utilize, retain, and manage a core of
 

 
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                                     H.B. NO.841        
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1           volunteers.
 
 2 In the absence of a district coordinator, the opportunities for
 
 3 school facilitators on Kauai to acquire and develop these skills
 
 4 are greatly limited.
 
 5      Historically, the parent-community networking center program
 
 6 has given back to the State gifts and in-kind services far
 
 7 greater than the funding provided to support the program.  In
 
 8 1997-1998, the parent-community networking center program on
 
 9 Kauai received $168,758 (including $5,000 "donated" from the
 
10 parent-community networking center program state team's funding)
 
11 and provided $292,541 in goods and services to Kauai's schools,
 
12 returning $123,783 more than the program cost, and demonstrating
 
13 that the parent-community networking center program truly does
 
14 pay for itself.  When compared to what the parent-community
 
15 networking center program offers in return, the legislature finds
 
16 that $24,000 is a small amount to fund a district coordinator
 
17 position for Kauai.
 
18      The purpose of this Act is to provide funding for a district
 
19 coordinator position to maintain the effectiveness of the parent-
 
20 community networking center program on Kauai.
 
21      SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
22 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $24,000, or so much
 
23 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000, for a
 

 
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                                     H.B. NO.841        
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 parent-community networking center district coordinator position
 
 2 for Kauai.
 
 3      SECTION 3.  The sum appropriated shall be expended by the
 
 4 department of education for the purposes of this Act.
 
 5      SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 1999.
 
 6 
 
 7                           INTRODUCED BY:  _______________________