WHEREAS, increasing concerns regarding Hawaii’s economy will require educational reform initiatives to be closely tied to and support the State’s economic development priorities; and

WHEREAS, the transformation of Career and Technical Education (CTE) from a "hobby-style" curriculum to that of a high-skill, career-focused curriculum for all students directly supports Hawaii’s plans for economic development and is directly linked to the mission of the Department of Education (DOE), which is to provide students with the opportunities, not limited by time, for:

(1) College-level coursework and program certification;

thus preparing all graduates for postsecondary education or postsecondary careers, or both; and

WHEREAS, the redesign of CTE should be based on school reform in the context of focus on economic development; and

WHEREAS, the following are identified as focus areas for economic development for Hawaii and will serve as the basis for the redesign of CTE:

and

WHEREAS, the redesign of CTE will use the career pathway framework to organize the curriculum in a way that will be an integral part of a quality P-20 education system that will support Hawaii’s efforts at economic development; and

WHEREAS, through education, Hawaii will begin the journey of creating a qualified workforce that will attract and grow businesses and lead to the development of a diversified economy; and

WHEREAS, the redesign of CTE will also complement DOE’s efforts to attain its vision of the Hawaii high school graduate; and

WHEREAS, CTE supports standards-based education and can be the organizing principle for many components essential to school reform; and

WHEREAS, the redesign of CTE neither begins nor ends at high school, but, in fact, the strength of CTE’s redesign lies in the spiraling of essential concepts that seamlessly rise from one level of learning to the next in a P-20 system, and is, therefore, a viable means to address the federal government’s "No Child Left Behind" Act by more closely linking educational experiences and achievement with career opportunity and community; and

WHEREAS, having a framework of high standards will ensure that career-focused curricula do not become the latest version of the low track, because without contextualized approaches

offered by multidisciplinary, real-world learning, the standards movement reinforces an abstract and contrived curriculum that only works for a small group of students; and

WHEREAS, research on high-performing high schools across the nation show high or improving test scores, good attendance, high graduation rates, low dropout rates, and high matriculation rates to postsecondary education; and

WHEREAS, CTE programs in these high-performing high schools exhibit the following common components:

WHEREAS, in Hawaii, the redesign of CTE that uses the career pathway framework incorporates all of the common components of high-performing high schools across the nation, and this initiative will enhance the achievement of articulated academic and industry standards; and

WHEREAS, career pathways provide the context in which students are able to handle greater academic rigor through relevant, real-world experiences that integrate school-based learning, work-based learning, and current technology with the formal academic curriculum, hence producing schools that are more personalized and student-centered; and

WHEREAS, to sustain and further develop a strong system for a redesigned CTE, Hawaii must support its youth with career guidance, intra-agency assistance in developing careers, personal adult advocates, and networks of support that serve as the foundation for lifelong learning; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature recognizes the importance of redesigning CTE in a way that enhances Hawaii’s economic development initiatives and prepares students for an economy that demands a strong academic background, employability, and technical skills; and

WHEREAS, redesigning CTE by using a career pathway framework will necessitate and encourage collaboration among business and industry, government agencies, postsecondary institutions, and the community as DOE works toward enabling all students to earn transferable or portable credentials, prepare them for jobs in careers that require a high level of skill, and increase the opportunities for higher education, including four-year colleges and universities; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature recognizes the following:

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2003, that the Chairperson of the Board of Education is urged to implement career pathways as part of a school-reform model to include the redesign of CTE that reflects economic development initiatives and priorities; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that DOE’s CTE staff is requested to partner with leaders in economic development, business and industry, and research institutions to identify, design, and implement state-of-the-art CTE programs of study that are embedded in the career pathway framework and will support the State’s economic development initiatives; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that DOE’s CTE staff develop an implementation plan that is focused on supporting the identified economic priority areas based on the priorities identified and validated by industry; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the redesign plan for CTE establish the research-based focus, priorities, and criteria for the schools but also allow for flexibility in implementation, allowing schools to select from a variety of research-based strategies that best suit their school and community needs; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that academies, smaller learning communities, pathway teams, magnet schools, or technical high schools that focus on programs of study that align with postsecondary opportunities remain options for schools; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that curricula be developed in collaboration with postsecondary, business, and community partners, targeted to support economic priority areas identified by the partnerships; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that curricula will be embedded in the career pathway framework to emphasize integration of academic and technical learning through the use of problem-based learning strategies, current technology, and work-based learning; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that students shall be eligible for and have access to the curriculum and opportunities for certifications or endorsements, or both; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the redesign plan include accountability measurements that will require schools to demonstrate:

(1) Improved academic performance;

(2) Decreased dropout rates;

and that accountability measures will also more closely tie the allocation of resources to actual outcomes; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that DOE’s CTE staff work in partnership with the University of Hawaii, private systems, and business and industry to develop and implement both pre-service and in-service training programs that will develop a teaching corps capable of implementing the new CTE design; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that DOE prioritize existing resources and propose to the Legislature a budget detailing specific staffing, facility renovation, and professional development needs; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Education, Chairperson of the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii, Superintendent of Education, President of the University of Hawaii, Chancellor of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Dean of the College of Education of the University of Hawaii, Chancellor of the University of Hawaii—West Oahu, Chancellor of the University of Hawaii at Hilo, and Chancellor for Community Colleges.

Report Title:

Redesign of Career and Technical Education