REPORT TITLE:
Hawaiian Language Immersion


DESCRIPTION:
Creates standards for the Hawaiian language immersion program.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        
THE SENATE                              S.B. NO.           2722
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE IMMERSION PROGRAM.



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

 1      SECTION 1.  The Hawaii Revised Statutes is amended by adding
 
 2 a new chapter to be appropriately designated and to read as
 
 3 follows:
 
 4                             "CHAPTER
 
 5                    HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE IMMERSION
 
 6      §  -1  Findings and purpose.  The legislature finds that an
 
 7 instructional program in which children are taught the content of
 
 8 the regular education program through the medium of the Hawaiian
 
 9 language is a vehicle for revitalizing the Hawaiian language and
 
10 assisting the people of Hawaiian ancestry to regain and maintain
 
11 their language.  The purpose of this chapter is to establish the
 
12 Hawaiian language immersion program and to enable its full
 
13 implementation.
 
14      § -2 Hawaiian language immersion program established.
 
15 The Hawaiian language immersion program shall be a complete
 
16 educational program or schooling experience provided to students
 
17 in the medium of the Hawaiian language.  The educational
 
18 objectives of this program shall be the same as the regular
 
19 English language program and students in this program shall
 
20 receive a minimum of one hour daily of direct instruction in the
 

 
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 1 English language, beginning at grade five.  The department of
 
 2 education shall administer and oversee the Hawaiian language
 
 3 immersion program.
 
 4      §  -3  Attendance and eligibility.  All families of fluent
 
 5 Hawaiian speaking persons of compulsory school age choosing to
 
 6 enroll in the Hawaiian language program shall be given preference
 
 7 for admittance into the program as a family regardless of place
 
 8 of residence within the State; provided that they abide by
 
 9 special regulations of the program relative to family
 
10 participation, scheduling differences, and cultural features as
 
11 well as other rules and policies adopted by the board and the
 
12 department of education.  Other persons may enroll at the
 
13 discretion of individual school sites under the conditions
 
14 described above and state and federal laws; provided that
 
15 enrollment of non-fluent Hawaiian speaking children shall not
 
16 jeopardize the provision of education in a totally Hawaiian
 
17 speaking environment to Hawaiian speaking children.
 
18      §  -4  Office of Hawaiian language immersion instruction;
 
19 personnel.  The department of education shall create a separate
 
20 office of Hawaiian language immersion instruction for the
 
21 direction and control of the program.  The department shall
 
22 employ necessary personnel qualified by training and experience
 
23 to direct and supervise the types of instruction and special
 

 
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 1 services specified in this part.  The University of Hawaii shall
 
 2 work collaboratively with the department to ensure that teachers
 
 3 in the Hawaiian language immersion program are proficient in the
 
 4 Hawaiian language, skilled in teaching methodologies and
 
 5 strategies, and possess content knowledge.
 
 6      §  -5  Facilities or transportation.  When fifteen or more
 
 7 qualified children in any one departmental school district wish
 
 8 to enroll in the Hawaiian language immersion program, the
 
 9 superintendent of education shall provide facilities for an
 
10 immersion program or shall provide transportation to the nearest
 
11 schooling site providing the program, whichever the department
 
12 deems more expedient and economical.  The department of education
 
13 shall establish collaborative partnerships with other agencies,
 
14 organizations, or foundations to provide alternate facilities and
 
15 transportation.
 
16      §  -6  Student performance.  The department of education
 
17 shall develop and use multiple assessment strategies and
 
18 instruments to assess student achievement and performance and
 
19 evaluate the effectiveness of teaching strategies and methods
 
20 being used in the immersion program."
 
21      SECTION 2.  Section 302A-630, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
22 amended to read as follows:
 
23      "§302A-630  Teachers with special assignments, vocational
 

 


 

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 1 agriculture, Hawaiian language immersion, and technical school
 
 2 teachers.  Teachers with special assignments, where thier
 
 3 responsibilities are greater, may be provided additional benefits
 
 4 by the department.  In determining additional benefits for
 
 5 vocational agriculture, Hawaiian language immersion, and
 
 6 technical school teachers, the department may allow credit for
 
 7 practical experience."
 
 8      SECTION 3.  Section 302A-1128, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
 9 amended to read as follows:
 
10      "§302A-1128  Department powers and duties.(a)  The
 
11 department shall have entire charge and control and be
 
12 responsible for the conduct of all affairs pertaining to public
 
13 instruction.  The department may establish and maintain schools
 
14 for secular instruction at such places and for such terms as in
 
15 its discretion it may deem advisable and the funds at its
 
16 disposal may permit.  The schools may include high schools,
 
17 kindergarten schools, schools or classes for pregrade education,
 
18 boarding schools, Hawaiian language immersion schools, and
 
19 evening and day schools.  The department may also maintain
 
20 classes for technical and other instruction in any school where
 
21 there may not be pupils sufficient in number to justify the
 
22 establishment of separate schools for these purposes.
 
23      (b)  The department shall regulate the courses of study to
 

 
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 1 be pursued in all grades of public schools and classify them by
 
 2 methods the department deems proper; provided that:
 
 3      (1)  The course of study and instruction shall be regulated
 
 4           in accordance with the statewide performance standards
 
 5           established under section 302A-201;
 
 6      (2)  All pupils shall be progressively competent in the use
 
 7           of computer technology; and
 
 8      (3)  The course of study and instruction for the first
 
 9           twelve grades shall enable all students to meet
 
10           progressive standards of competency in a language in
 
11           addition to English.
 
12      For the purposes of this subsection, the terms
 
13 "progressively competent in the use of computer technology" and
 
14 "progressive standards of competency in a language in addition to
 
15 English" shall be defined by the board through rules adopted
 
16 pursuant to chapter 91, with reference to relevant national or
 
17 international standards of competency.  Notwithstanding
 
18 paragraphs (2) and (3) to the contrary, the board, through rules
 
19 adopted pursuant to chapter 91, shall formulate statewide
 
20 educational policies allowing the superintendent to exempt
 
21 certain students from the requirements of paragraphs (2) and (3).
 
22      (c)  Nothing in this section shall interfere with those
 
23 persons attending a summer school."
 

 
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 1 
 
 2      SECTION 4.  Section 302A-1143, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
 3 amended to read as follows:
 
 4      "[[]§302A-1143[]]  Attend school in what district.  All
 
 5 persons of school age shall be required to attend the school of
 
 6 the district in which they reside, unless enrolled in a Hawaiian
 
 7 language immersion program or it appears to the department to be
 
 8 desirable to allow the attendance of pupils at a school in some
 
 9 other district, in which case the department may grant this
 
10 permission." 
 
11      SECTION 5.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
12 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           , or so
 
13 much thereof as may be necessary, for fiscal year 2000-2001, and
 
14 the sum of $           , or so much thereof as may be
 
15 necessary,for fiscal year 2001-2002 immersion program and to
 
16 create the office of Hawaiian language immersion instruction
 
17 within the department of education.
 
18      SECTION 6.  The sums appropriated shall be expended by the
 
19 department of education for the purposes of this Act.
 
20      SECTION 7.  If any provision of this Act, or the application
 
21 thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the
 
22 invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of
 
23 the Act which can be given effect without the invalid provision
 

 
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 1 or application, and to this end the provisions of this Act are
 
 2 severable.
 
 3      SECTION 8.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed.
 
 4 New statutory material is underscored.
 
 5      SECTION 9.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2000.
 
 6 
 
 7                              INTRODUCED BY:______________________
 
 8 
 
 9                                            ______________________