Report Title:
DOE; Curriculum; Appropriation
Description:
Establishes new research-based curriculum for kindergarten through grade six to develop students' critical and creative thinking skills. Makes appropriation.
THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
2497 |
TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2006 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating to education.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the primary purpose of public education is the development of maximum learning in all students. This development is essential to the creation of an engaged citizenry, a sound and flourishing economy, and a vibrant cultural community. To remain relevant, class curricula must be flexible to reflect changes in our increasingly globalized society.
One example of curriculum enhancement is the rigorous, research-based Core Knowledge program created by Professor E.D. Hirsch, Jr. of the University of Virginia, which has been implemented by hundreds of schools across the nation. Programs of this kind have been known to help improve students' verbal reasoning skills, which are essential to achieving a student's advanced educational and future professional goals.
The purpose of this Act is to implement a new research-based curriculum throughout the public school system to develop students' critical and creative thinking skills. SECTION 2. Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new part to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
"Part . content-oriented language arts program
§302A- Content-oriented language arts program. The content-oriented language arts development program is established in the department for kindergarten through grade six to provide a new research-based curriculum to develop students' creative and critical thinking skills.
§302A- Program requirements. (a) The program shall contain multiple week units in literature, science, history, civics, ethics, and the arts. Grade level topics shall be congruent with Hawaii state standards in literature, history, science, and the arts.
(b) The character of the materials shall gradually shift in focus as students advance from kindergarten through grade six. In kindergarten through grade three, there shall be an equal focus on content and on the decoding and encoding processes. In grades four through six, the focus shall shift towards writing skills and the reading of more demanding content. In all grades, an emphasis on reading aloud in the classroom shall be preserved on the grounds that fluency in decoding skills does not catch up fully with listening skills until around grade seven.
§302A- Skills component. (a) The skills component of the program in decoding and encoding shall be consistent with best scientific principles as adopted by the National Reading Panel. In grades kindergarten through three, each daily lesson in decoding or encoding shall be designed to last approximately forty minutes. In grades four through six, the emphasis shall shift to writing and composition. Instruction in the distinctive features of the formal print code shall include grade level appropriate instructions in standardized conventions of the grammar, elaborated syntax, and pronunciations of American written English.
(b) The skills component shall be presented in a teacher guide and a student book that is separate from the content component. The skills component shall include lesson plans, illustrations, pedagogical guidance, and student work sheets. The total word count for these materials at each grade level shall be approximately one hundred sixty-five thousand words. Basic decoding and encoding instruction in grades kindergarten through three shall be replaced gradually by composition instruction in grades four through six.
§302A- Content component. (a) As used in this part, "content" means both world knowledge and word knowledge. The content component shall consist of two read aloud and discussion periods per day, together totaling approximately fifty minutes.
(b) The specially written or adapted content texts shall be designed for reading aloud with guided discussion. There will be two read alouds each day, each averaging one thousand five hundred words each. The lesson discussion guide for the teacher for each of the two lessons shall average seven hundred fifty words for a total daily text size that averages four thousand five hundred words. Two lessons each day for one hundred fifty days shall average six hundred seventy-five thousand words for each grade level in the content component.
§302A- Text characteristics. The read alouds and discussion shall have the following characteristics designed to optimize the increase in students' vocabulary and background knowledge:
(1) Each content topic shall be designed to last between ten and twenty class days;
(2) The read alouds shall engage children and be of high literary quality, as judged by competent critics. In later grades, students may begin to do the reading aloud;
(3) Each content topic lasting between ten and twenty days shall be a genuine subject matter "domain" according to cognitive research regarding situation models in language comprehension;
(4) In order to achieve optimal advances in knowledge and vocabulary, the content within these content-oriented language arts classes shall be designed where possible to support and reinforce content that is studied simultaneously in other subject matter classes in history, science, and the arts;
(5) Each content topic shall be designed to integrate more than one discipline; and
(6) For each content lesson there shall be integrated an average of two illustrations, either blackline or color. For one-half of the lessons, a large color illustration suitable for showing an entire class shall be provided.
§302A- Textbooks and learning materials. (a) The graphic design of student books shall be uncluttered and visually attractive with a visual emphasis more on words than on pictures. Engaging pictures shall be used to reinforce verbal understanding rather than replace it.
(b) In grades kindergarten through three, take home student books shall be designed to be of moderate length or no more than one hundred thousand words, containing a small number of texts that can be decoded and about half of the narratives in the full program. From these books, caregivers shall be encouraged to re-read some of the narratives to students in kindergarten and grade one. In grades two and above, students shall be encouraged to re-read some of the materials."
SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $1,000,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007, to carry out the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 4. The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of education.
SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2006, and shall apply to schools beginning January 1, 2007.
INTRODUCED BY: |
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