Report Title:

DOE; Educational Assistants' Career Ladder Program; Appropriation

Description:

Requires the department of education to report to the legislature on class levels and other career ladder enhancements, the number of affected individuals, and the cost impact of implementing a career ladder for educational assistants.  Appropriates funds to the department of education for an educational assistants' career ladder program.  (SB686 HD1)

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	686
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII		H.D. 1

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to educational assistants.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  A career ladder program is a salary structure developed for educational assistants who meet the specific job requirements based on specific training, job performance, and years of experience as an educational assistant.  The career ladder program recognizes training as a means to advance in salary.  The goal of the career ladder program is to attract, retain, and reward high-quality educational assistants by:

     (1)  Providing opportunities for professional growth;

     (2)  Enhancing education to improve student achievement; and

     (3)  Providing incentives, a salary supplement, and a career advancement program.

     With the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and the requirements set forth in the No Child Left Behind Act, the department of education is responsible for the development of staff training programs and opportunities to meet these demands.

     The purpose of this Act is to require the department of education to submit a report on educational assistants and the class levels to be established under a career ladder program and other career ladder enhancements, the number of affected employees, and the cost of implementing a career ladder program.  This Act also appropriates funds for an educational assistants' career ladder program within the department of education.

     SECTION 2.  The department of education shall submit a report to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2008 on a career ladder program for educational assistants that includes:

     (1)  Class levels under a career ladder program and other career ladder enhancements;

     (2)  The number of affected employees under a career ladder program; and

     (3)  The cost of implementing a career ladder program for educational assistants.

     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 2007-2008, and the same sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008-2009, for an educational assistants' career ladder program within the department of education.

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

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2020.