Report Title:

Economic Development; Creativity Academies

 

Description:

Appropriates funds to support the development of the creativity academy program. (SD1)

 


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2587

TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

S.D. 1

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT


 

 

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO ESTABLISH CREATIVITY ACADEMIES.

 

 

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

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that Hawaii's economic policies have been continuously focused on developing human and economic resources by creating and developing innovation capacity.  Studies reveal that Hawaii students experience a sharp decline in math skills particularly after the sixth grade, signaling a need to find new ways to engage Hawaii's students in the core skills needed to succeed in the twenty-first century.  A major challenge in Hawaii's education system is in providing an adequate number of high school graduates with the skills related to basic science, technology, engineering, and mathematics that are needed to allow them to be adequately prepared for engineering or science programs at either a community college or four-year college.

     In fact, according to the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, only eighteen per cent of Hawaii's eighth graders test proficient in mathematics, compared with thirty‑eight per cent among top states in the United States.

     Americans for the Arts, a national nonprofit organization supporting arts education, reports that for the United States to maintain and expand its economy, America's schools must encourage more students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and must better prepare all students in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics content areas.  National studies are showing that adding a creative arts component to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education significantly enhances the learning outcomes.

     In a paper titled "How do you turn STEM into STEAM?  Add the arts!" published in October 2007, Joan Platz, information coordinator for the Ohio Alliance for Arts Education, states that "Ohio lawmakers are also concerned about STEM preparation and participation.  Music and the arts are essential educational components for all students to learn, including students who are pursuing careers in the STEM areas.  Educational opportunities in music and the arts first and foremost prepare students for competitive careers in the $316,000,000,000 communication, entertainment, and technology industries as musicians, artists, dancers, actors, directors, choreographers, videographers, graphic designers, architects, photographers, designers, film makers, arts administrators, and other professions.  The growth of the visual technologies alone, from computer graphics to digital video, has had a tremendous impact on our nation's economy and the global economy."

     According to "The Creative Industries" report, published by Americans for the Arts, more than 548,000 businesses nationwide are related to the arts and employ 2,990,000 people.  In 2005, the research and economic analysis division of the department of business, economic development, and tourism reported that 28,884 people in Hawaii were employed in creative industries.  Many of these arts-related jobs require employees to understand and apply higher order concepts in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics content areas in addition to having a preparation in the arts.  The knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors students acquire from studying the arts have been identified by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, and other organizations, as the skills needed to be successful in the global economy.  These skills include creativity and innovation, critical thinking and problem solving, communication and collaboration, flexibility and adaptability, and social and cross-cultural skills.

     The creativity academies seek to integrate the teaching, learning, and use of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and new media arts-related skills throughout Hawaii's public education system.

     The creativity academies will build on the best and most promising practices of other similar innovative programs, such as award winning programs in public schools on Oahu: Aiea high, Campbell high, Farrington high, Kalani high, Kawananakoa middle, Moanalua high, Kapolei high, Mililani high, Nanakuli high, Waianae high; Chiefess Kamakahelei middle and Kauai high on Kauai; Maui high on Maui; and Waimea high and Keaau middle college high on the island of Hawaii.

     SECTION 2.  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 2008-2009 to carry out the purposes of this Act, including equipment, training, the hiring of instructors, and travel costs for student and instructor participation in competitions outside the State.

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

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.