Allows DOE and charter schools to employ retired licensed teachers to teach full-time in teacher shortage areas and serve as mentors for new classroom teachers. (HB1862 HD1)

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. Research indicates that teacher quality is one of the most influential factors in student achievement. Standards-based reform has a greater chance of success when teacher quality is raised. In an effort to provide quality education for its students, the department of education continues to recruit highly qualified teachers within the State of Hawaii and from the continental United States. As more "baby boom" teachers in Hawaii and across the nation retire, the task of recruiting highly qualified teachers is becoming more challenging each year. Consequently, finding sufficient numbers of highly qualified teachers for shortage areas is becoming more difficult, and teacher shortages are expected to grow as more "baby boom" teachers retire through the remainder of the decade.

SECTION 2. Beginning July 1, 2006, the department of education and charter schools may employ retired licensed teachers at up to one hundred per cent full-time equivalency to teach in teacher shortage areas identified by the department of education or charter schools and to serve as mentors for new classroom teachers, with the prior approval of the superintendent of education or the local school board of each charter school and pursuant to collective bargaining agreements. The provisions of sections 88-21, 88-42.5, 88-43, 88-45, and 88-46, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and any other statute to the contrary notwithstanding, retired licensed teachers who are hired under this section shall not earn retirement service credit, contribute to the retirement system, or gain additional retirement system benefits as a result of their employment; provided that retired licensed teachers shall continue to receive entitled normal retirement benefits without penalty. To qualify for full-time employment, the retired licensed teacher shall be retired for at least one calendar year prior to reemployment to teach or serve as a mentor.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2006, and shall be repealed on July 1, 2011.