REPORT TITLE:
Credential Extensions

DESCRIPTION:  Allows the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board to extend
teaching credentials for teachers for the 2000-2001 and 2001-2002
school years on a case-by-case basis for teachers who are unable
to become licensed due to extenuating circumstances.  (HB2490
HD1)



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        2490
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO THE HAWAII TEACHER STANDARDS BOARD.



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

 1      SECTION 1.  Section 302A-803, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
 2 amended to read as follows:
 
 3      "§302A-803  Powers and duties of the board.  In addition to
 
 4 establishing standards for the issuance of licenses and
 
 5 credentials, the board's powers shall also include: 
 
 6      (1)  Setting and administering its own budget;
 
 7      (2)  Adopting, amending, repealing, or suspending the
 
 8           policies, standards, or rules of the board in
 
 9           accordance with chapter 91;
 
10      (3)  Receiving grants or donations from private foundations;
 
11      (4)  Submitting an annual report to the governor and the
 
12           legislature on the board's operations;
 
13      (5)  Conducting a cyclical review of standards and
 
14           suggesting revisions for their improvement;
 
15      (6)  Establishing licensing and credentialing fees in
 
16           accordance with chapter 91, including the collection of
 
17           fees by means of mandatory payroll deductions, which
 
18           shall subsequently be deposited into the state treasury
 
19           and credited to the Hawaii teacher standards board
 
20           revolving fund; [and] 
 

 
Page 2                                                     2490
                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      (7)  Establishing penalties in accordance with chapter
 
 2           91[.]; and 
 
 3      (8)  Granting extensions of credentials on a case-by-case
 
 4           basis pursuant to section 302A-805."
 
 5      SECTION 2.  Section 302A-805, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
 6 amended to read as follows:
 
 7      "§302A-805  Teachers; license or credential required;
 
 8 renewals. (a)  Beginning with the 1997-1998 school year, no
 
 9 person shall serve as a teacher in a public school without first
 
10 having obtained a license or credential from the department under
 
11 this subpart.  All licenses issued by the department shall be
 
12 renewable every five years, if the licensee continues to satisfy
 
13 the board's licensing standards.  All credentials issued by the
 
14 department shall be renewable every year, up to a maximum of
 
15 three years, if the credential holder continues to satisfy the
 
16 board's credentialing standards and actively pursues appropriate
 
17 licensing.  For the 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 school years only,
 
18 the board may, on a case-by-case basis, extend a credential for
 
19 one year, but no more than twice for any credential holder;
 
20 provided the individual meets the following requirements and any
 
21 other that the board deems appropriate:
 
22      (1)  An individual seeking an extension shall submit a
 
23           written request to the board consisting of:
 

 
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                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1           (A)  Copies of the department's form C with supporting
 
 2                documents that demonstrate active pursuit of
 
 3                license requirements;
 
 4           (B)  Documentation of extenuating circumstances that
 
 5                explains the need for an extension or lack of
 
 6                availability of programs and courses required for
 
 7                licensing;
 
 8           (C)  Narrative evaluation from current and past school
 
 9                principals documenting teaching performance
 
10                according to the board's performance standards;
 
11           (D)  Submittal of the credential holder's proposed
 
12                action plan to meet all licensing standards.
 
13      (b)  The board shall consider the following, and any other
 
14 criteria the board deems appropriate in granting any extension:
 
15           (1)  The diligence with which the credential holder has
 
16                pursued licensing;
 
17           (2)  The extenuating circumstances and the extent to
 
18                which the individual has been subjected to
 
19                constraints beyond the individual's control to the
 
20                timely completion of all licensing requirements;
 
21           (3)  Evidence of strong teaching performance according
 
22                to the board's performance standards; and
 

 
 
 
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                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1           (4)  Likelihood of successful implementation of the
 
 2                credential holder's proposed action plan."
 
 3      SECTION 3.  New statutory material is underscored.
 
 4 Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed.
 
 5      SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect upon approval;
 
 6 provided that on June 30, 2002, this Act shall be repealed and
 
 7 sections 302A-803 and 302A-805, Hawaii Revised Statutes, are
 
 8 reenacted in the form in which they read on June 30, 2000.