WHEREAS, section 302A-433, Hawaii Revised Statutes, authorizes the establishment of adult and community education programs within the Department of Education; and

WHEREAS, these programs include basic education courses at the elementary and secondary levels and community education programs including adult literacy, parenting skills, citizenship training, and programs of cultural, recreational, and social interests; and

WHEREAS, in an audit report issued in October 2002 by the State Auditor, the Auditor reported several deficiencies in adult and community education program oversight and management; and

WHEREAS, some of the specific findings related to the lack of a systemwide policy on how to calculate student enrollment and when to charge fees for certain courses, resulting in confusion about which courses were considered part of basic education and which were community education classes; and

WHEREAS, the content of the basic education courses involving English, writing, and mathematics should be aligned with the Hawaii content and performance standards adopted by the public schools; and

WHEREAS, adult literacy programs should be based on research-based models that have proven successful in teaching adults to read; and

WHEREAS, parent education programs should be based upon research-based models that have proven successful in teaching parenting skills to local families; and

WHEREAS, community education programs should also be based upon a statewide minimum standard as to content and goals of the specific program; and

WHEREAS, adult and community education programs underscore the value of life-long learning; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-Second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2003, that the Department of Education is requested to identify the personnel and related operating costs of adult and community education programs, the amounts of state funds provided for and the amounts of revenues generated from fees that support the programs, and three outcome measures that can be used to measure the effectiveness of adult and community education programs; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education is requested to prepare a report of findings and recommendations, including the status of the adoption of standards for adult and community education programs, to be submitted to the Legislature not less than twenty days prior to the convening of the 2004 regular session; and

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

Report Title:

Report on Adult and Community Education Programs