Increases the number of new century charter schools.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that mainstream methods of education over-identify native Hawaiian students as special education students, under-identify native Hawaiian students as gifted and talented, and are rarely culturally appropriate or culturally sensitive. Culturally appropriate educational methodologies have the potential to further native Hawaiian education, student success, and self-determination.

According to the Hawaii Charter Schools Network, charter schools are growing at an explosive rate nationally. There were three thousand such schools, serving 684,000 students in 2002. Charter schools are schools under contract or charter, between a public agency and groups of parents, teachers, community leaders, or others who want to create alternatives and choices within the public school system. These schools encourage innovation and allow parents and the community to play powerful roles in shaping and supporting education. They also afford more flexibility in addressing student-specific needs. They have the freedom to supplement their curriculum and shape their academic programs, which is not readily possible under the traditional school system.

Kamehameha Schools reported in 2004 that roughly fifty thousand out of Hawaii's one hundred eighty thousand public school students are of Hawaiian or part-Hawaiian ancestry. As a group, these Hawaiian students' standardized test scores are the lowest in the State. Hawaiian students are less likely to graduate than their peers and more than half of Hawaiian students in the department of education system come from low-income backgrounds. Hawaiian youth have the highest rate of juvenile arrests.

Currently, there are twenty-seven charter schools in Hawaii. Kamehameha Schools provides funding for fourteen of them (twelve start-up and two conversion charter schools) by contributing $1 for every $4 that the State allocates to each charter school student. Although the State allocates school funding based on a per-pupil amount ($5,355 in 2003-2004) to both traditional and charter schools, charter schools face additional challenges in securing sufficient financial, administrative, and facilities support.

Charter schools with a Hawaiian focus have proven themselves by raising Hawaiian students' standardized test scores. Installing native language and culture in the curriculum has proven able to raise the child's self-esteem, which is conducive to greater success in school. Greater success in school translates into less of a social and economic burden on society.

Under the current system of education, the educational needs of native Hawaiian children will continue to go unmet. The academic scores of these children will continue to decrease. Behavioral difficulties, retention (being held back in their grade), and drop-out rates will increase. Fewer native Hawaiian children will achieve their full potential. As a result, the native Hawaiian community and the State will likely experience an increase in unemployment, individuals on public assistance, domestic violence, substance abuse, and incarceration.

An increase in the total number of charter schools could increase the number of native Hawaiian charter schools, thereby furthering native Hawaiian education, student success, and self-determination. The purpose of this Act is to increase the number of charter schools.

SECTION 2. Section 302A-1182, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

"(a) Up to a total of [twenty-three]           schools may be established as new century charter schools. These new century charter schools may be established by:

SECTION 3. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2005.