REPORT TITLE:
Hawaiian Language Immersion


DESCRIPTION:
Creates standards for the Hawaiian language immersion program.
(SB2722 HD1)

 
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THE SENATE                              S.B. NO.           S.D. 1
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                H.D. 1
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
 

 
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 1 English language program and shall fulfill the Hawaiian language
 
 2 immersion program goals.
 
 3      §  -3  Attendance and eligibility.  All families of fluent
 
 4 Hawaiian speaking persons of compulsory school age choosing to
 
 5 enroll in the Hawaiian language program may be given preference
 
 6 for admittance.  Other persons may enroll at the discretion of
 
 7 individual school sites under the conditions described above and
 
 8 in compliance with applicable state and federal laws.  All
 
 9 students and their families shall also abide by the special
 
10 regulations of the program relative to family participation.
 
11      §  -4  Office of Hawaiian language immersion instruction;
 
12 personnel.  The department of education shall create a separate
 
13 office of Hawaiian language immersion instruction for the
 
14 direction and control of the program.  The department shall
 
15 employ necessary personnel qualified by training and experience
 
16 to direct and supervise the types of instruction and special
 
17 services specified in this chapter.  Institutions of higher
 
18 education that have teacher preparation programs shall work
 
19 collaboratively with the department to ensure that teachers in
 
20 the Hawaiian language immersion program are proficient in the
 
21 Hawaiian language, skilled in teaching methodologies and
 
22 strategies, and possess content knowledge.
 

 
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 1      §  -5  Facilities or transportation.  When fifteen or more
 
 2 qualified children in any one departmental school district wish
 
 3 to enroll in the Hawaiian language immersion program, the
 
 4 superintendent of education may provide facilities for an
 
 5 immersion program or provide transportation to the nearest
 
 6 schooling site providing the program.
 
 7      §  -6  Student performance.  The department of education
 
 8 shall develop and use multiple assessment strategies and
 
 9 instruments to assess student achievement and performance and
 
10 evaluate the effectiveness of teaching strategies and methods
 
11 being used in the immersion program."
 
12      SECTION 2.  Section 302A-630, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
13 amended to read as follows:
 
14      "[[]§302A-630[]]  Teachers with special assignments,
 
15 vocational agriculture, Hawaiian language immersion, and
 
16 technical school teachers.  Teachers with special assignments,
 
17 where their responsibilities are greater, may be provided
 
18 additional benefits by the department.  In determining additional
 
19 benefits for vocational agriculture, Hawaiian language immersion,
 
20 and technical school teachers, the department may allow credit
 
21 for practical experience."
 
22      SECTION 3.  Section 302A-1128, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 

 
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 1 amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
 
 2      "(a)  The department shall have entire charge and control
 
 3 and be responsible for the conduct of all affairs pertaining to
 
 4 public instruction.  The department may establish and maintain
 
 5 schools for secular instruction at such places and for such terms
 
 6 as in its discretion it may deem advisable and the funds at its
 
 7 disposal may permit.  The schools may include high schools,
 
 8 kindergarten schools, schools or classes for pregrade education,
 
 9 boarding schools, Hawaiian language immersion, charter, or lab
 
10 schools, and evening and day schools.  The department may also
 
11 maintain classes for technical and other instruction in any
 
12 school where there may not be pupils sufficient in number to
 
13 justify the establishment of separate schools for these
 
14 purposes."
 
15      SECTION 4.  Section 302A-1143, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
16 amended to read as follows:
 
17      "[[]§302A-1143[]]  Attend school in what district.  All
 
18 persons of school age shall be required to attend the school of
 
19 the district in which they reside, unless enrolled in a Hawaiian
 
20 language immersion program or it appears to the department to be
 
21 desirable to allow the attendance of pupils at a school in some
 
22 other district, in which case the department may grant this
 

 
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 1 permission."
 
 2      SECTION 5.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
 3 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           , or so
 
 4 much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2000-2001, to be
 
 5 expended according to the Operational and Financial Plan for the
 
 6 Hawaiian Language Immersion Program, January 1998, and to create
 
 7 the office of Hawaiian language immersion instruction within the
 
 8 department of education.
 
 9      SECTION 6.  The sum appropriated shall be expended by the
 
10 department of education for the purposes of this Act.
 
11      SECTION 7.  If any provision of this Act, or the application
 
12 thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the
 
13 invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of
 
14 the Act which can be given effect without the invalid provision
 
15 or application, and to this end the provisions of this Act are
 
16 severable.
 
17      SECTION 8.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed.
 
18 New statutory material is underscored.
 
19      SECTION 9.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2000.
 

 
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