RELATING TO EDUCATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY.

Implements an incentive system to provide awards for schools that demonstrate growth as well as interventions and sanctions for underperforming schools.

RELATING TO EDUCATION.Authorizes the Hawaii Teachers Standards Board, rather than the Department of Education, to license and credential teachers.

RELATING TO NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION FOR DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TEACHERS.Authorizes the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board to develop, implement, and administer a support program for National Board Certification candidates in the Department of Education.

RELATING TO REHIRING RETIRED TEACHERS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.Allows the Department of Education to rehire retired teachers with prior approval of the Superintendent and pursuant to collective bargaining.

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT AND CONTINUATION OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SCHOOLS.Appropriates funds for the establishment and continued development of professional development schools in Hawaii public schools to train and prepare preservice teachers for the classroom.

RELATING TO TEACHERS.

Appropriates funds for tuition waivers for department of education teachers who pursue continuing education for professional development.

relating to education.

Offers an incentive to state teachers to take professional development course work by allowing them a 100% state tax deduction on tuition costs.

RELATING TO STUDENT LOANS FOR TEACHERS.Establishes the Hawaii Educator Loan Program to be administered by the University of Hawaii to provide financial support to students who graduate with a baccalaureate degree in education and who agree to teach in the public school system.

relating to education.

Requires the incorporation of braille training into the individual education program of blind or visually impaired students.

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Allows the Department to assess tuition to cover the expenses for non-funded supplemental,discretionary, and out-of-school time instructional programs.

relating to EDucation.

Changes the cutoff date for kindergarten entrance to October 1 beginning with the 2002-2003 school year, and to July 1 beginning with the 2003-2004 school year. Requires the DOE to establish pre-kindergartens, and to reduce the student:teacher ratio in kindergarten to third grade to not more than 20:1.

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Lowers the compulsory education age from 6 years to 5 years, making attendance in kindergarten mandatory.

RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII.

Authorizes tuition waivers for special education and education administration majors at the University of Hawaii.

relating to education.

Requires DOE to institute open recruitment policy for designated positions and develop career development and training program for those positions.

relating to education.

Requires the DOE to reduce the ratio of students to teachers in kindergarten to grade 2 to not more than 20 students to 1 teacher. Provides workload relief for class advisors and class size reduction for teachers required to teach in more than two grade levels and 2 subject matter fields.

relating to education.

Requires DOE accountability system to provide teachers with time for classroom planning and curriculum planning. Appropriates money for smaller class sizes, more educational assistants, increased planning time and support staff and equipment, and automatic salary increases.

relating to school complexes.

Defines overcrowded school complex as one with at least 50 students beyond its maximum capacity; appropriates money to remedy overcrowding; allows for waivers of policy; and requires developers filing environmental impact statements to consult with principals within overcrowded school complexes.

relating to incentive and innovation grants.

Amends the DOE's incentive and innovation grants law based on auditor's recommendations: repeals trust fund provisions in order to provide more stable funding through general fund appropriations; requires additional assistance from the DOE for selection and evaluation; requires additional information in the annual report to the legislature; appropriates an unspecified amount in research and development costs for the grants.

relating to the volunteer incentive program.

Appropriates funds to create Volunteer Incentives Program in DOE; provides income tax deduction for private individuals/entities for services provided to public schools; school to receive quarterly payments based on volunteer services received.

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Senator Norman Sakamoto