HE'E News
HE'E Coalition would like to congratulate Hawaii Department of Education (HIDOE) Deputy Superintendent Ronn Nozoe on his appointment to Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Programs in the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education at the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE). We wish Ronn all the best in the new position!
HE'E Legislative News
The vote for HCR173/HR109 is in and voting members had over a 75% consensus for support. HCR173 passed out of the House Education Committee and will be referred to the House Finance Committee. We have added the measure to our watch list.
There is a resolution that has recently appeared in the hearing notices, SCR100/SR54, which requests the Legislative Reference Bureau, in consultation with the Department of Education (DOE) and the University of Hawaii at Manoa College of Education, to prepare a study that examines and provides recommendations on improving the retention of teachers within the DOE. This has been a recurring topic in recent discussions. We will ask voting members if they would consider supporting the resolution. Reasons for support include:
- Recent statistics show that over 50% of Hawaii's public school teachers leave within five years of being hired
- Turnover in rural areas is a particularly acute
- There are costs associated with high rates of teacher turnover both financially and in terms of creating a productive learning environment
We will follow this resolution and add it to our watch list.
There is another bill that HEE is not actively supporting but that members might be interested in as it relates to one of the Coalition's priorities of collaborating to provide basic needs of every child. This is HB1440 HD1, which appropriates funds for the Hawaii Keiki: Healthy and Ready to Learn program. Hawaii Keiki: Healthy and Ready to Learn program is a partnership between HIDOE and UH Manoa School of Nursing which is designed to improve the access and quality of health services available to school children in the school community by coordinating and expanding existing efforts of the partners and community resources. The program is currently working with selected Complex areas. For more information on the program, click here for the UH Manoa School of Nursing website. The Senate Ways and Means hearing on HB1440 HD1 will be on March 31, 2015 at 9:00am in Conference Room 211.
HE'E Meetings
HE'E Planning Meeting, Tuesday, April 14, 2015, 9:00-11:00am, The Learning Coalition, 841 Bishop Street (Validated Parking at Ali'i Place at 1099 Alakea Street). HE'E is pleased to welcome back David Moyer, Acting Director of the Data Governance and Analysis Branch of the Hawaii Department of Education, who will introduce HIDOE's strivehischools.org which is the Department's interactive data website. Last year, David met with HE'E members to receive input on items that parents and community members would be interested in seeing. Please join us to learn about the new interactive site. After David's presentation, we will also update members on the legislative session, in particular, status on the 2015 legislative budget.
HE'E Planning Meeting, Wednesday, May 13, 2015 4:00-6:00pm, The Learning Coalition, 841 Bishop Street (Validated Parking at Ali'i Place at 1099 Alakea Street). HE'E welcomes presentations by two teacher groups, Learning First, a teacher advocacy group who seeks to put teachers at the center of education policy making, and Hope Street Group, leading the Hawaii State Teacher Fellowship Program. Learning First will introduce their policy paper entitled "A Teacher Perspective on Attendance Policy," and give an update on their Professional Development Policy Fellowship. Hope Street Group Teacher Fellows will introduce their work which centers on gathering teacher voice to influence state policy, and generate solutions to the challenges associated with the implementation of education reform. Please join us for this unique opportunity to hear from our teachers!
HE'E TRACKING OF LEGISLATIVE BILLS AS OF MARCH 30, 2015
Any bill status can be looked up on http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/
To submit testimony, please see instructions on Capitol webpage here.
We encourage members to attend and participate at hearings. If you have questions about the process, please contact cheri@heecoalition.org
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Hearing Date
|
Bill
|
Description
|
Remarks
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| 4/1/2015, 9:10am, Conference Room 211 | HB500 HD1
HE'E Position: Support
| Appropriates funds for the operating and capital improvement budget of the Executive Branch for fiscal years 2015/2016 and 2016/2017. |
| 3/27/2015 | S | The committee(s) on WAM has scheduled a public hearing on 04-01-15 9:10AM in conference room 211. |
|
| HCR117/HR70
Status and Testimony
HE'E Position: Support
| Requesting the BOE to review whether
the student representative to the Board should be given voting rights |
| 3/20/2015 | H | The committees on EDN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. |
|
| 4/1/2015, 1:30pm, Conference Room 229 | SCR93/SR47
HE'E Position:
Support
HE'E Testimony Forthcoming | Requesting the BOE to review whether
the student representative to the Board should be given voting rights
| The committee(s) on EDU has scheduled a public hearing on 04-01-15 1:30PM in conference room 229.
|
| HCR173/HR109
HE'E Position: Support
HE'E Testimony Forthcoming | Requesting the BOE and the DOE to develop a strategic plan to address chronic student absenteeism |
| 3/20/2015 | H | The committees on EDN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS.
|
|
| SB64 SD3
Support
| RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES.
Description: Makes appropriations for positions and the continued implementation of the preschool open doors program and for subsidies for the program |
| 3/27/2015 | H | Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1173), recommending referral to FIN. |
|
| SB822 SD1 HD1
Status and Testimony
HE'E Position
Support
HE'E Testimony |
RELATING TO EDUCATION.
Clarifies the implementation schedule and calculation method for minimum number of days and student hours required for Department of Education schools in each school year. Applies the requirement for a 180 day, 1,080 hour school year to all school years beginning with the 2016-2017 school year. (SB822 HD1)
| Committee Report for SB822 HD1
| 3/20/2015 | H | Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 982) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN. |
|
|
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HB821 HD1
HE'E Position: Support
|
RELATING TO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.
Description: Amends or repeals provisions of Chapters 302A and 302L, Hawaii Revised Statutes, as related to early childhood education, for housekeeping and other purposes.
|
| 3/23/2015 | S | Report adopted; Passed Second Reading and referred to WAM. |
|
|
HB820 HD2 SD1
HE'E Position: Support
|
RELATING TO PUBLIC EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.
Description: Establishes the Executive Office on Early Learning Prekindergarten Program to be administered by the Executive Office on Early Learning and provided through Department of Education public schools and public charter schools.
|
Committee Report for HB820 HD2 SD1
| 3/23/2015 | S | Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM. |
|
| SB847
SD2 HD1
Status and Testimony
HE'E Position: Support
HE'E Testimony |
RELATING TO TEACHERS.
Description: Authorizes an additional per year bonus for teachers who maintain current national board certification and teach at a school in a focus, priority, or superintendent's zone under the National Board Certification Incentive Program.
| Committee Report for HB847 SD2 HD1
| 3/27/2015 | H | Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1111) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN. |
|
|
HB11
HD2 SD1
HE'E Position: Support
|
RELATING TO TEACHERS.
Description: Authorizes an additional per year bonus for teachers who maintain current national board certification and teach at a school in a focus, priority, or superintendent's zone under the National Board Certification Incentive Program.
|
| 3/23/2015 | S | Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
|
|
| SB374 SD2
Status and Testimony
HE'E Position: Support
HE'E Testimony |
RELATING TO DUAL CREDIT PROGRAMS.
Description: Replaces the running start program and jump start program with dual credit program; amends definition of "eligible student" to include all high school students; replaces standardized test to determine college readiness with an assessment approved by the college. Appropriates moneys.
| Committee Report for SB374 SD2 HD1
| 3/27/2015 | H | Reported from EDN/HED (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1115) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN. |
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