Report Title:

School Data

 

Description:

Requires the annual collection and dissemination of information on every public school regarding the performance of each school, broken down by gender and ethnicity.

 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

344

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. The legislature finds that Hawaii's public has had little access to data regarding school performance. It is important for the success of Hawaii's public schools that the data be collected and reported regularly, and that the data provide information about individual schools as well as statewide trends.

The legislature further finds that with the diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds of Hawaii's residents, it is imperative to ascertain whether student performance holds any correlation to ethnicity. If trends in performance based on ethnicity do exist, this information would be vital to ensure that students are being educated equitably and that Hawaii's public schools provide consistent academic success to students of all backgrounds. Likewise, it is equally important to ensure that students of both sexes enjoy equal treatment in public schools. Accordingly, school performance data should also include information broken down by gender as well.

Therefore, the purpose of this Act is to require the department of education to collect annual data on school performance that is broken down by ethnicity and gender.

SECTION 2. Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§302A- Annual school data. The department of education shall collect and disseminate on an annual basis, data regarding each public school, as well as aggregate state data. The data shall be broken down by gender and ethnicity. Ethnicity of each student shall be determined by the ethnic identification selected from among options presented to high school and intermediate students, and to the parents of elementary school students. The data shall consist of the number and percentage of:

(1) Each ethnic group enrolled;

(2) School dropouts, by grade level;

(3) In-grade retentions;

(4) Students who have failed courses;

(5) Absences from school;

(6) Suspensions and expulsions;

(7) Students classified as disabled;

(8) Students successfully completing high school within four years of entering ninth grade, and those within five years; and

(9) High school graduates entering college."

SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________