REPORT TITLE:
District Boards of Education


DESCRIPTION:
Proposes amendments to Article X of the Constitution of the State
of Hawaii to abolish the state board of education and replace it
with district boards of education that are elected at-large and
in a nonpartisan election.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        
THE SENATE                              S.B. NO.           2590
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 purpose of this Act is to propose amendments
 
 2 to Article X of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii to:
 
 3      (1)  Abolish the state board of education and replace it
 
 4           with district boards of education established by law
 
 5           whose members are elected at-large, in nonpartisan
 
 6           elections by the qualified voters of their respective
 
 7           school districts established by law;
 
 8      (2)  Empower each district board of education to appoint a
 
 9           district superintendent of education as the chief
 
10           executive officer of the public schools in that school
 
11           district;
 
12      (3)  Empower the governor to appoint the state director of
 
13           education as the chief executive officer of the public
 
14           school system;
 
15      (4)  Empower the state director of education to formulate
 
16           statewide educational policies;
 
17      (5)  Empower a district board of education to implement,
 
18           through its district superintendent of education, the
 
19           statewide educational policies formulated by the state
 
20           director of education; and
 

 
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 1      (6)  Provide one seat on each district board of education
 
 2           for one public high school student selected by the
 
 3           Hawaii State Student Council to serve as a non-voting
 
 4           member.
 
 5      SECTION 2.  Article X of the Constitution of the State of
 
 6 Hawaii is amended by adding two new sections to be appropriately
 
 7 designated and to read as follows:
 
 8                   "DISTRICT BOARDS OF EDUCATION
 
 9      Section  .  There shall be district boards of education
 
10 established by law.  The members of each district board of
 
11 education shall be elected at-large in a nonpartisan election by
 
12 the qualified voters of that respective school district.  Each
 
13 district board of education shall have the power, as provided by
 
14 law, to appoint a district superintendent of education as the
 
15 chief executive officer of the public schools in that school
 
16 district; and to implement, through its district superintendent
 
17 of education, the statewide educational policies formulated by
 
18 the state director of education.
 
19      The Hawaii State Student Council may select one public high
 
20 school student to serve as a nonvoting member on each district
 
21 board of education.
 
22                    STATE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION
 
23      Section  .  The governor shall have the power, as provided
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           2590
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 by law, to appoint the state director of education as the chief
 
 2 executive officer of the public school system.  The state
 
 3 director of education shall have the power, as provided by law,
 
 4 to formulate statewide educational policies."
 
 5      SECTION 3.  Article X, sections 2 and 3, of the Constitution
 
 6 of the State of Hawaii are repealed:
 
 7                       ["BOARD OF EDUCATION
 
 8      Section 2.  There shall be a board of education composed of
 
 9 members who shall be elected in a nonpartisan manner by qualified
 
10 voters, as provided by law, from two at-large school board
 
11 districts.  The first school board district shall be comprised of
 
12 the island of Oahu and all other islands not specifically
 
13 enumerated.  The second school board district shall be comprised
 
14 of the islands of Hawaii, Maui, Lanai, Molokai, Kahoolawe, Kauai
 
15 and Niihau.  Each at-large school board district shall be divided
 
16 into departmental school districts, as may be provided by law.
 
17 There shall be at least one member residing in each departmental
 
18 school district.  The Hawaii State Student Council shall select a
 
19 public high school student to serve as a nonvoting member on the
 
20 board of education.
 
21                  POWER OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
 
22      Section 3.  The board of education shall have the power, as
 
23 provided by law, to formulate statewide educational policy and
 

 
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 1 appoint the superintendent of education as the chief executive
 
 2 officer of the public school system."]
 
 3      SECTION 4.  The question to be printed on the ballot shall
 
 4 be as follows:
 
 5      "Shall the state board of education be abolished and be
 
 6      replaced by:
 
 7      (1) a system which includes district boards of education
 
 8      that are elected at-large in a nonpartisan manner by the
 
 9      qualified voters of each respective school district; and,
 
10      (2) a state director of education appointed by the
 
11      governor?"
 
12      SECTION 5.  Constitutional material to be repealed is
 
13 bracketed.  New constitutional material is underscored.
 
14      SECTION 6.  This amendment shall take effect upon compliance
 
15 with article XVII, section 3, of the Constitution of the State of
 
16 Hawaii.
 
17 
 
18                           INTRODUCED BY:  _______________________
 
19 
 
20                                           _______________________
 
21