STAND. COM. REP. NO.1526
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2001
RE: H.B. No. 1391
H.D. 1
S.D. 2
Honorable Robert Bunda
President of the Senate
Twenty-First State Legislature
Regular Session of 2001
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1391, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ARTS,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to continue the implementation of the statewide arts education strategic plan known as ARTS FIRST. The bill does this by:
(1) Requiring the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts to convene the Hawaii arts education partners to implement the Hawaii arts education strategic plan;
(2) Requiring the Foundation's annual report to include the efforts of the Hawaii arts education partners and progress in implementing the strategic plan; and
(3) Appropriating funds for eight state arts resource teacher positions within the Department of Education.
ARTS FIRST is a six-year plan developed by the Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, Department of Education, Colleges of Education, and Arts and Humanities at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Hawaii Association of Independent Schools, and the Hawaii Alliance for Arts Education for implementing fines arts standards in Hawaii schools.
A sequential, standards-based arts education program like ARTS FIRST prepares students to be global citizens by helping them to gain a deeper understanding of multicultural values and beliefs. In studying fine arts, students gain problem solving techniques and powerful thinking skills of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation to help them become contributing members of their community.
In designating the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts as the lead agency for arts education, the Legislature recognized that art is not an expendable add-on to schools' curriculum, but rather that "studying the arts not only broadens a child's perspective of the immediate environment, but also creates a heightened sense of awareness and connection with the past and present occupants and stewards of this world." Similarly, by enabling the continued implementation of ARTS FIRST, this measure reflects the Legislature's belief that the fine arts are not a luxury and that a quality fine arts education program in our schools should be fundamental component of our students' comprehensive education experience.
Your Committee has amended this bill to:
(1) Give the Department of Education's Director of the School Renewal Branch oversight for each state resource teacher;
(2) Require state resource teachers to be either certified to teach a fine arts discipline or possess the knowledge and skills of a traditionally trained cultural practitioner;
(3) Encourage the Hawaii arts education partners to work with the state resource teachers to continue the implementation of the strategic plan;
(4) Appropriate funds for staff development that specifically relates to the implementation of the Hawaii arts education; and
(5) Make technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity and style.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1391, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1391, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,
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____________________________ BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair |
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