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Aloha HE'E Members and Participants,
Legislative News
Legislative bills are being heard sooner than we anticipate (first hearings are on Monday, January 27 2014), so we wanted to inform the Coalition of prospective positions and testimony (those we have prepared thus far). We drafted these based on topics the Coalition has supported in the past and member feedback provided at policy and planning meetings. Please see the bills that we propose to support or oppose below. We will ask our voting members to vote on these recommended positions to confirm Coalition endorsement. If voting members do not endorse a position, the Coalition may still submit comments to the legislature, providing the pros and cons, or general feedback from our members. We have categorized positions by topic. Please note that positions and testimony are still in tentative and in draft form; we welcome your comments. If members have other topics they would like the Coalition to consider, or if members would like to help with writing testimony please e-mail cheri@heecoalition.org. Please send as soon as possible so that we can incorporate in time for the hearings. Mahalo to members who have provided feedback thus far. We will continue to provide updates to membership as things progress.
As we enter the legislative hearings, we also encourage members to participate by giving oral testimony on behalf of the Coalition or providing testimony on behalf of their own organizations. Please join us by getting involved in the legislative process! Information on bills and testimony submission are at www.capitol.hawaii.gov If you should need help with submitting testimony, please let us know.
Early Learning
SB2236: Public School Facilities for Pre-Kindergarten Programs. Copy of bill is here. Authorizes the executive office on early learning to enter into agreements with the department of education and charter schools for use of vacant or underutilized classrooms as public preschool classrooms. Makes an appropriation.
Position: Support
Testimony is here
HB1487:Mandatory Kindergarten. Copy of bill is here. Amends the compulsory education law to make kindergarten mandatory.
Position: Support
Testimony is here
Academic Achievement
SB2139: Instructional Hour. Copy of bill is here. Requires all public secondary schools to implement a school year that includes nine hundred ninety student instructional hours beginning with the 2014-2015 school year. Repeals the requirement that by the 2016-2018 school years, all public schools implement a school year of one hundred eighty days and one thousand eighty student instructional hours for both elementary and secondary school grades. Clarifies that the definition of "student instructional hours" shall be determined by the board of education.
Position: Oppose with amendments
Testimony is here
Informational Meeting: Friday, January 31, 2014, 3:00 pm, Conference Room 309.
SB2424: Air Conditioning Study. Copy of bill is here. Requires DOE and DAGS to develop a cooling master strategy and comprehensive study for the public schools and to report its findings to the 2015 regular session of the legislature. Appropriates funds.
Position: Support
Testimony is here
Hearing SB2424: Monday, January 27, 1:15 pm, Conference Room 214. Link to hearing notice is here.
SB2559 Air Conditioning and Noise Control. Copy of bill is here. Requires the department of education to plan for and request funds necessary to implement acoustic noise control and air conditioning at existing and new school facilities. Requires the department of education to develop standards to determine whether acoustic noise control of existing and new schools is necessary. Requires the installation of air conditioning in all public schools based upon a priority list established by the department of education. Makes an appropriation to the department of education for air conditioning in public schools.
Position: Support
Testimony is here
Hearing SB2559: Monday, January 27, 1:15 pm, Conference Room 214. Link to hearing notice is here.
SB2462/HB2410: Common Core Pilot and Improved Communication: Copy of bill is here. Requires the Board of Education to develop and the Department of Education to implement a pilot program to assist students in achieving annual goals under the Common Core State Standards. Requires the Board of Education to provide web-based data and information aimed at improving student outcomes. Effective July 1, 2014.
Position: Support intent with amendments
Testimony is forthcoming
Supporting the Whole Child
SB2210 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Copy of bill is here. Requires the department of education to administer the youth risk behavior survey to all public school and charter school students in odd-numbered years for grades six to twelve. Requires all private schools to administer the youth risk behavior survey to all students in odd-numbered years for grades six to twelve. Allows parents or legal guardians to exempt their child from participating in the survey.
Position: Strong Support
Testimony is here
SB2219 Early Intervention. Copy of bill is here. Creates an appropriation for early intervention services and a web-based early intervention data system. Creates an appropriation for services for children with developmental concerns who do not qualify for services through the Individuals with Disabilities Improvement Education Act including family liaison services and medical home integration with Hi'ilei Hawai'i. Creates an appropriation for school-based vision, hearing, and obesity screening. Creates an appropriation for expenses needed to fund multiagency reviews of child deaths and re-establish a child death review coordinator position.
Position: Support
Testimony is forthcoming
SB2441 After School Programs. Copy of bill is here. Establishes the resources for enrichment, athletics, culture, and health (R.E.A.C.H.) program in the office of youth services to provide a standardized framework and funding for after-school programs in public middle and intermediate schools. Establishes a revolving fund to receive fees and other moneys to supplement the costs of administering and operating the program. Appropriates funds for establishing the R.E.A.C.H. program to provide funding for after-school programs in middle and intermediate public schools. Establishes one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) position to support the program and appropriates funds for that position.
Position: Support
Testimony is forthcoming
Other
SB2763/HB1672 Board of Education Agenda. Copy of bill is here. Requires the board of education to allow public testimony on items not on a public meeting agenda if certain requirements are met.
Position: Support
Testimony is here
Hearing HB1672: Monday, January 27, 2014, 2:00 pm, Conference Room 309. Link to hearing notice is here.
Budget Bill--Coalition also intends to support the Department of Education's supplementary budget request, in particular, the additional moines for air-conditioning, which is consistent with the Coalition's support letter to the Governor. Please see letter to Governor here.
Allen Awaya's latest "Updater" for Senate is here, for House is here, and for Hearing Notices is here.
Upcoming HE'E Meetings
HE'E Quarterly Meeting, Wednesday February 5, 2014 from 4:00-5:30pm, at The Learning Coalition, 841 Bishop Street #301 (Validated Parking at Ali'i Place at 1099 Alakea St. See map here.*For those needing special accommodations to The Learning Coalition, please contact cheri@heecoalition.org.)
HE'E is delighted to have Tom Hutton, Executive Director of the Hawaii State Public Charter School Commission, as guest speaker. Please join us for an overview and update on the status of Charter Schools in Hawaii. Light Refreshments will be provided. There is limited capacity for this event so please RSVP through the electronic invitation if you haven't done so already. The link to register is here.
HE'E Planning Meeting, Tuesday February 11, 2014 from 9-11:00am, at The Learning Coalition
We will give an update on the status of education legislation at this meeting.
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