Report Title:

Education; K-16

RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that a kindergarten through grade sixteen (K-16) educational system is an ideal school model for providing a continuum which would ensure standards-based teaching and learning; and

WHEREAS, districts that have implemented K-16 educational systems, such as the El Paso Collaborative for Academic Excellence, have seen significant improvement in student academic achievement and test scores; and

WHEREAS, as noted by the American Youth Policy Forum, the passing rates for Hispanic students taking the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) in grades 3, 8 and 10 increased from 36.2% in 1992-93 to 79.7% in 1997-98; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that there is a decided misalignment between K-12 and the university system, as indicated by the high percentage of students who take remedial courses; for example, in 2000, 12% of UH-Manoa students and 58% of Maui Community College students taking first-year English writing courses were placed into remedial English courses, and 76% of Maui Community College students taking first-year Math were placed into remedial Math courses; and

WHEREAS, additional system-wide data on the number of students requiring remedial courses is not readily available and may not even be tracked or considered as an indication of the success or failure of our educational system; and

WHEREAS, after the El Paso, Texas school district instituted a K-16 system, its community colleges and university were eventually able to eliminate remedial classes; and

WHEREAS, according to Michael W. Kirst, a professor at Stanford University and a researcher with the National Center for Postsecondary Improvement, the "more remedial courses students must take, the less their chances are of ever receiving a bachelor's degree;" and

WHEREAS, the California university system is questioning the relevance of the SAT, and there is a growing national concern that the SAT is culturally biased and does not directly align with university educational standards; and

WHEREAS, among the solutions being proposed is an aligned K-16 educational system and the use of the SAT II, a three part subject matter-based exam; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-First Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2001, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Department of Education, in conjunction with the Board of Education and the University of Hawaii system, research the benefits of aligning K-12 and the university system’s student identification number to enable the creation of a comprehensive K-16 database to enhance system-wide accountability and aid in developing educational components necessary to the success of Hawaii’s students; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education, in coordination with the Board of Education and the University of Hawaii system, is requested to implement a study to ascertain the student population required for a quantifiable demonstration of the potential impacts and results of the institution of a K-16 system statewide; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study evaluate and review a sample of other states’ K-16 models, with particular attention being paid to districts that have particular relevance or similarities to Hawaii, such as El Paso, Texas, given that its population also consists of a high percentage of minorities and that the majority of its teachers come from its local university system; and consider other notable prototypes worthy of examination including the Georgia P-16 Council and the Ohio Joint Council; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study recommend methods to align curriculum and course offerings within the University of Hawaii system to facilitate and allow the full transfer of credits system-wide; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study address the benefits and potential drawbacks of substituting the SAT II test in place of the SAT, and propose alternative higher education paths that align with K-12 educational standards and address the diversity of Hawaii’s students and career and educational opportunities; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Department of Education, Board of Education, and University of Hawaii system report findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2002; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Superintendent of Education, the Chairperson of the Board of Education, and the Chairperson of the Board of Regents.