Requires the department of education to create a commission to establish, implement and maintain a standardized statewide curriculum for each grade level, with adequate course content in order to meet the state performance standards for the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. Although the State has established statewide standards and benchmarks, learner outcomes, assessments, promotion requirements, and graduation requirements, the legislature finds that Hawaii's public school system does not have a standardized, statewide curriculum to meet its goals. Because curriculum is not standardized, individual teachers, grade levels, schools, complexes, districts, vendors, and school reform and reinvention teams are the ones who decide curriculum.

When curriculum is not aligned across grade levels, students have difficulty in meeting standards that require skill levels of increasing complexity and ability. This piecemeal approach must not be allowed to continue if we are to efficiently achieve our goals.

If instruction is not aligned with content standards, then standards-based reform is not going to work. In "The Link Between High School Reform and College Success for Low-Income and Minority Youth," a publication of the American Youth Policy Forum, two curriculum-related practices were included in the four key practices most commonly given credit for the success of low-income and minority high school students to succeed in college:

The purpose of this Act is to establish and maintain a standardized statewide curriculum for teachers to implement in order to meet the Hawaii performance standards as required by the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

SECTION 2. Chapter 302A, part II, subpart B, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§302A-   Standardized, statewide curriculum. (a) The board shall establish a standardized, statewide curriculum adapted from a research-based, successful model. The curriculum shall be specific as to its scope and sequence over a school year for each grade level, be consistent in course content, and aligned across all grade levels. The curriculum shall meet the state performance standards and the means to reflect the requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

(b) The department shall implement and maintain the curriculum. The department shall provide teachers with support resources, which shall include but not be limited to:

(c) The standardized statewide curriculum shall be implemented during the school year that begins after final approval of the curriculum by the board; provided that the curriculum shall be implemented no later than the 2008-2009 school year."

SECTION 3. The board of education shall submit annual progress reports to the legislature not later than twenty days prior to the convening of the 2007, 2008, and 2009 regular sessions.

SECTION 4. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $          , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007, for establishing and maintaining a standardized statewide curriculum.

SECTION 5. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 6. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 7. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2006.