REPORT TITLE:
Adult & Community Education


DESCRIPTION:
Abolishes the community education component of the DOE's adult
and community education program.  Refocuses the adult education
program on helping persons to obtain the general equivalent of a
high school diploma or to become naturalized citizens.  Abolishes
the advisory council for adult and community education.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        2321
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.           
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO EDUCATION.



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

 1      SECTION 1.  The adult education program was authorized over
 
 2 fifty years ago in order to meet the needs of Hawaii's adult
 
 3 population.  Since the passage of this legislation, the size and
 
 4 composition of Hawaii's population has changed dramatically, and
 
 5 the availability and quality of lower education programs in the
 
 6 islands has improved to meet the basic educational needs of the
 
 7 people.  The State is entering the new century with a recognition
 
 8 that government provision of goods and services is appropriately
 
 9 limited to those goods and services that will not be provided by
 
10 the market.  Particularly during times of economic stagnation or
 
11 low growth, state support must be limited to ensuring that the
 
12 core functions of government take precedence over programs that
 
13 are desirable, but not necessary.  Furthermore, the legislature
 
14 recognizes that government provision of otherwise marketable
 
15 services inhibits the growth and diversity of our economy.
 
16      The purpose of this Act is to require the department of
 
17 education to focus its adult education program on providing
 
18 adults and students excepted from compulsory attendance with a
 
19 high school equivalent education, and providing naturalization
 

 
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 1 training to enable immigrants to become United States citizens.
 
 2      SECTION 2.  Section 302A-432, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
 3 amended to read as follows:
 
 4      "[[]§302A-432[]]  Adult [and community] education
 
 5 authorized.  [To provide increased opportunity for the people of
 
 6 Hawaii, the] The department shall establish and regulate a
 
 7 program of adult [and community] education of less than college
 
 8 grade.  The department shall provide public school buildings and
 
 9 other facilities, and use public school equipment under
 
10 conditions determined by the department, when the equipment is
 
11 needed, for adult [and community] education programs."
 
12      SECTION 3.  Section 302A-433, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
13 amended to read as follows:
 
14      "[[]§302A-433[]]  Scope of adult [and community] education
 
15 programs offered.  As rapidly as resources are available and
 
16 interest is developed, instructional programs shall be initiated
 
17 in the following [fields:] areas:
 
18      (1)  Basic elementary education.  [A foundation] For the
 
19           purposes of this section, "basic elementary education"
 
20           means a program in reading and speaking English,
 
21           writing, and arithmetic for persons with no schooling
 
22           or only primary grade training[;].  The purpose of
 
23           basic elementary education shall be to prepare persons
 

 
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                                     H.B. NO.           
                                                        
                                                        


 1           for advanced elementary education or for naturalization
 
 2           training;
 
 3      (2)  Advanced elementary education.  [A] For the purposes of
 
 4           this section, "advanced elementary education" means a
 
 5           program [in advanced elementary] of education for
 
 6           [those] persons who have completed four to eight years
 
 7           of schooling and who desire to obtain more complete
 
 8           mastery of the fundamentals[;].  The purpose of
 
 9           advanced elementary education shall be to prepare
 
10           persons for secondary education or for naturalization
 
11           training;
 
12      (3)  Secondary education.  [A] For the purposes of this
 
13           section, "secondary education" means a program of
 
14           [secondary] education for [those adults]:
 
15           (A)  Adults who, [in youth,] as youths, left school or
 
16                for some reason had their education curtailed and
 
17                who now desire to [continue their education; for
 
18                those youths] obtain the general equivalent of a
 
19                high school diploma;
 
20           (B)  Youths who have been excepted from compulsory
 
21                attendance under section 302A-1132; and [for those
 
22                youths]
 
23           (C)  Youths who are in need of courses to complete
 

 
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                                     H.B. NO.           
                                                        
                                                        


 1                their high school graduation requirements;
 
 2     [(4)  Adult literacy education.  A basic program in reading
 
 3           and writing English, and arithmetic for persons who
 
 4           need to develop or improve their mastery of basic
 
 5           literacy skills in these areas for purposes of
 
 6           enhancing their personal, social, or employment lives;
 
 7      (5)  Homemaking and parent education.  A program in
 
 8           homemaking and parent education for all those parents
 
 9           and other adults who desire training in family life,
 
10           including child care, nursing, budgeting, and other
 
11           instruction basic to homemaking;
 
12      (6)  Community education.  A program to facilitate
 
13           understanding and enlightenment in civic duties,
 
14           responsibilities, and obligations for all persons who
 
15           desire to keep pace with today's community, national,
 
16           and world developments and who realize the necessity of
 
17           continuing study for the adequate fulfillment of their
 
18           civic functions.  Community education addresses
 
19           responsibilities within a given community, especially
 
20           concerns related to education and the schools, and
 
21           offers additional services to supplement and enrich the
 
22           educational program of in-school children and youths;]
 
23           and
 

 
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                                     H.B. NO.           
                                                        
                                                        


 1     [(7)] (4)  Naturalization training.  [The] For the purposes
 
 2           of this section, "naturalization training" means the
 
 3           standard course of training provided by the United
 
 4           States Immigration and Naturalization Service, which
 
 5           shall be provided to all [those] persons who have filed
 
 6           applications for United States citizenship and who
 
 7           desire to enroll in such a course under the supervision
 
 8           of the department[; and
 
 9      (8)  Cultural opportunities.  A program of adult and
 
10           community education that will meet the interests and
 
11           desires of those people who wish to enrich and to
 
12           broaden their cultural, recreational, and social
 
13           interests]."
 
14      SECTION 4.  Section 302A-435, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
15 amended to read as follows:
 
16      "[[]§302A-435[]]  Financing adult [and community] education
 
17 program.  The financial support for [this] the adult education
 
18 program shall be [in part] primarily from fees collected from
 
19 students enrolled, and [in part] partially from public funds
 
20 appropriated for this purpose.  Fees shall be set [in accordance
 
21 with the recommendations of the advisory council,] by the board
 
22 and may be collected from students regularly enrolled; provided
 
23 that:
 

 
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                                     H.B. NO.           
                                                        
                                                        


 1      (1)  Adults registered with the department of labor and
 
 2           industrial relations and unemployed shall be granted
 
 3           free enrollment in [such] courses [as] that will [tend
 
 4           to] assist these persons in [securing employment;]
 
 5           obtaining the general equivalent of a high school
 
 6           diploma or becoming naturalized citizens;
 
 7      (2)  Adults certified by the department of human services as
 
 8           indigent may be enrolled on a nonfee basis in [classes]
 
 9           courses that will [tend to] assist these persons in
 
10           [becoming self-sustaining;] obtaining the general
 
11           equivalent of a high school diploma or becoming
 
12           naturalized citizens;
 
13      (3)  Discharged veterans who are entitled to federal
 
14           educational assistance shall be enrolled upon
 
15           authorization of the Department of Veterans Affairs and
 
16           fees shall be charged against federal funds in
 
17           accordance with Department of Veterans Affairs contract
 
18           regulations; and
 
19      (4)  Administrative and supervisory costs, costs of
 
20           instruction, and all other necessary expenses not
 
21           covered by fees and other authorized charges shall be
 
22           paid for out of funds appropriated for this purpose."
 
23      SECTION 5.  Section 302A-434, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 

 
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 1 repealed.
 
 2      ["[§302A-434]  Advisory council for adult and community
 
 3 education.  The board shall appoint an advisory council for adult
 
 4 and community education composed of fifteen or more
 
 5 representatives of industry, labor, civic organizations, and
 
 6 education.  Appointments shall be for a term of two years with
 
 7 reappointments optional but not to exceed a total of six years on
 
 8 the advisory council."]
 
 9      SECTION 6.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed.
 
10 New statutory material is underscored.
 
11      SECTION 7.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2000.
 
12 
 
13                           INTRODUCED BY:_________________________