Establishes in the department of education the content oriented language arts program for kindergarten through grade 6.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. The foremost purpose of public education is the development of maximum learning in all students. This development is essential to the creation of a sound and flourishing economy, engaged citizenry, and a vibrant cultural community. Education must be flexible to provide a relevant curriculum in the classrooms that reflects changes in our increasingly globalized society.

Despite efforts by the public education system, the legislature finds that test scores for Hawaii students have steadily declined. A rigorous, research-based curriculum like the Core Knowledge program created by Professor E.D. Hirsch, Jr. of the University of Virginia has been used by hundreds of schools across the nation. This kind of program can help to improve students' verbal reasoning skills, which are essential for higher education and for many professions.

The purpose of this Act is to establish 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-A Content oriented language arts program. The content oriented language arts program is established in the department in order to provide a new research based curriculum to develop students' creative and critical thinking skills for kindergarten through grade six.

§302A-B Program requirements. (a) The program will 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 will gradually shift in focus as students advance from kindergarten through grade six. In kindergarten through grade three, there will be an equal focus on content and on the decoding and encoding processes. In grades four through six, the focus will shift towards writing skills and the reading of more demanding content. In all grades, an emphasis on reading aloud in the classroom will be preserved on the grounds that fluency in decoding skills does not catch up fully with listening skills until around grade seven.

§302A-C Skills component. (a) The skills component of the program in decoding and encoding will be consistent with best scientific principles as enunciated by the National Reading Panel. In grades kindergarten through three, each daily lesson in decoding or encoding will be designed to last approximately forty minutes. In grades four through six, the emphasis will shift to writing and composition. Instruction in the distinctive features of the formal print code will include grade level appropriate instructions in standardized conventions of the grammar, elaborated syntax, and pronunciations of American Written English.

(b) The skills component will be presented in a teacher guide and a student book that is separate from the content component. It will include lesson plans, illustrations, pedagogical guidance, and student work sheets. The total word count for these materials at each grade level will be approximately one hundred sixty-five thousand words. Basic decoding and encoding instruction in grades kindergarten through three will be replaced gradually by composition instruction in grades four through six.

§302A-D 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 will 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 will average six hundred seventy-five thousand words for each grade level in the content component.

§302A-E Text characteristics. The read alouds and discussion shall have the following characteristics designed to optimize the increase in students' vocabulary and background knowledge:

§302A-F 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 will 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 $ , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2005-2006, and the same sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007 to establish and implement the program created by this Act using Core Knowledge or a similar content based curriculum containing content derived from similar research based methodologies.

SECTION 4. The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 5. In codifying the new sections added by section 2 of this Act, the revisor of statutes shall substitute appropriate section numbers for the letters used in designating the new sections in this Act.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval; provided that the appropriation in section 3 of this Act shall take effect on July 1, 2005.