HB1268 SD2

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the State of Hawaii has been developing a number of successful innovative education models and programs. The legislature further finds that experiential learning, using innovative methodologies that engage students in project-based, problem-solving learning, is an important and expanding strategy for preparing the next generation of Hawaii's youth for the global economy. Many of Hawaii's public schools have begun to experiment with applied and experiential learning programs, but these efforts often compete in funding and time for programs focusing on improving test scores.

Applied learning high school academies can and should be available to interested educators, schools, and students in areas such as agriculture, landscape education, marine science, astronomy, high technology, public health, visitor industries, human resource services, culture and language, environmental sciences, visual arts, performing arts, project EAST (environmental and spatial technology) program subjects, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) program subjects, or other thematic areas of interest to agencies, the University of Hawaii campuses, and Hawaii businesses. Applied learning has been most recently promoted in relationship to science and technology, such as with the project EAST program.

One challenge for our education system is that in an effort to comply with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, applied learning strategies and the necessary focus and flexibility to extensively develop applied learning programs for more students need special support, coordination, and attention.

The legislature further finds that over the last decade new approaches to generating higher participation and achievement by high school students in technical areas have emerged in Hawaii and throughout the United States in the form of technical academies run at selected high schools and effective contextual learning, learning in the context of practical applications, programs such as fostering interest and respect for science and technology (FIRST) robotics and project EAST. The applied learning academy model mixes high-quality instruction with practical, project-based contextual learning experiences that generate enthusiasm among students and show them the practical application of academic skills. These existing efforts deserve continued support and organizational environments that will nurture their growth.

The purpose of this Act is to:

(1) Recognize, enhance, and expand applied learning opportunities for a wide range of student interests;

(2) Develop a closer relationship between the expertise and resources of the University of Hawaii and the public school system for grades kindergarten through twelve;

(3) Increase the quality of STEM teaching in Hawaii's schools through providing enhanced professional development opportunities for practicing teachers and attracting highly qualified people with STEM degrees to the teaching profession; and

(4) Increase the number of Hawaii high school graduates seeking degrees or certificates in STEM disciplines by providing scholarships to accredited institutions of higher education in Hawaii.

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

"PART . APPLIED LEARNING HIGH SCHOOL ACADEMY PROGRAM

§302A- Definitions. Whenever used in this part, unless the context otherwise requires:

"Applied learning high school academy" means a department of education high school or a school within a school, with an approved five-year conversion plan to deliver an applied learning curriculum, including support for project EAST (environmental and spatial technology) programs, Hawaii excellence through science and technology programs, and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) programs, linked to the mission of a state agency or University of Hawaii campus, college, program, or department, which includes a significant contribution of land, facilities, personnel, or other resources by that agency or university unit.

"Department" means the department of education.

§302A- Applied learning high school academies. (a) The department shall establish and administer an applied learning high school academy program.

(b) The applied learning high school academy program shall be administered by a director who shall:

(1) Collaborate with the director of business, economic development, and tourism to assess the workforce needs of the State and devise methods of meeting those needs within the applied learning high school academy program;

(2) Assist schools, complex areas, and districts in establishing applied learning high school academy programs;

(3) Review school applications for approval of applied learning high school academy programs;

(4) Evaluate existing programs;

(5) Promote the conversion of existing academy programs and projects into applied learning high school academies such as project EAST (environmental and spatial technology), the Hawaii excellence through science and technology, and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) programs;

(6) In collaboration with the University of Hawaii, initiate research and studies for the improvement of curriculum materials for specialty areas of applied learning high school academies;

(7) Ensure that the standards and criteria developed under this section satisfy the mandates of federally assisted vocational education;

(8) Develop in-service programs for teachers and administrators;

(9) Serve as a liaison with the representatives of business, industry, appropriate public agencies, and institutions of higher education to facilitate the dissemination of information;

(10) Promote links with private sector employers in Hawaii;

(11) Establish an advisory task force representing the diverse areas of industry in the State, which shall make annual recommendations on the development of curriculum, staffing, and strategies to establish a source of trained and qualified individuals and strategies for developing the applied learning high school academies program, including youth leadership throughout the public schools.

§302A- Applied learning high school academies; application and approval. (a) Any school may submit a letter of intent to the department to convert a department high school or program within a high school to an applied learning high school academy, and also shall submit with the letter of intent a conversion plan that includes a detailed five-year plan that shall include significant support of the high school by the co‑sponsoring state agency or University of Hawaii campus.

(b) Applied learning high school academies may be developed with a focus on agriculture, landscape education, marine science, astronomy, high technology, public health, visitor industries, human resources services, culture and language, environmental sciences, visual arts, performing arts, project EAST (environmental and spatial technology) program subjects, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) program subjects, or other thematic areas of interest to agencies, the University of Hawaii campuses, and Hawaii businesses.

(c) The conversion plan shall be approved by the director, the high school's school community council, and the complex area superintendent; provided that the evaluation of the conversion plan shall incorporate the following criteria:

(1) The degree to which the conversion plan strives to provide students with experiences outside the school walls;

(2) Opportunities for eleventh grade students to complete a semester-long academic internship in a local business or agency;

(3) Opportunities for twelfth grade students to develop substantial projects that enable the students to learn while working on problems of interest and concern in the community; and

(4) Opportunities for ninth and tenth grade students to "shadow" an adult through a workday, perform community service in a group project, or engage in lunches with outside adults on issues of interest.

(d) An applied learning high school academy's success shall be evaluated by the board following each five-year period, and may be renewed thereafter."

SECTION 3. Chapter 304A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding five new sections to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§304A-A Hawaii excellence through science and technology academy program; established. (a) There is established within the University of Hawaii community college system, the Hawaii excellence through science and technology academy program. The purpose of the Hawaii excellence through science and technology academy program shall be to establish applied learning science, technology, engineering and math academies and to add resources and support to the department of education to increase the readiness and motivation of Hawaii high school graduates to pursue post-secondary training and career options in science, technology, engineering, and math disciplines by linking the Hawaii excellence through science and technology academy program to applied learning high school academies.

(b) The Hawaii excellence through science and technology academy program shall be headed by a director appointed by the president of the University of Hawaii. The director shall create an advisory committee to provide guidance to the director. The Hawaii excellence through science and technology academy program advisory committee shall include representatives of the college of education of the University of Hawaii, the department of education, the Hawaii educational policy center, the charter schools administrative office, and businesses that would benefit from graduates of Hawaii excellence through science and technology academies.

The Hawaii excellence through science and technology academy program advisory committee shall develop performance measures to ensure that the program conducted is contributing substantially and directly to an increase in high school graduates ultimately entering post-secondary science, technology, engineering, and math programs and pursuing science, technology, engineering, and math related occupations.

(1) Strive to enroll at least twenty-five per cent of the high school student body in academy programs within two years of its inception;

(2) Partner with the department of education and public charter schools to establish applied learning high school Hawaii excellence through science and technology academies established under part of chapter 302A- and appropriate public, nonprofit, and private agencies, to establish individual Hawaii excellence through science and technology academies throughout the State; and

(3) Have a lead instructor employed by the community college system with additional qualified instructors who may be hired by the community colleges.

(d) Hawaii excellence through science and technology academies shall develop a memorandum of agreement to work with the host high school to implement the required applied learning academic programs for project-based, contextual learning programs designed to use and expand students' academic skills.

§304A-B Fostering inspiration and relevance through science and technology pre-academy program; established. (a) There is established within the University of Hawaii, the fostering inspiration and relevance through science and technology pre-academy program, which shall be administered by the college of engineering. The mission of the fostering inspiration and relevance through science and technology pre‑academy program shall be as follows:

(1) With respect to middle schools, to provide additional resources and expertise for the department of education to stimulate the interest and achievement of students in science, technology, engineering, and math skills and help prepare those students for entry into the Hawaii excellence through science and technology academy program, beginning in sixth grade; and

(2) With respect to students enrolled in the Hawaii excellence through science and technology academies, to support and complement the Hawaii excellence through science and technology academy's academic programs with contextual learning projects, taking advantage of non-school hours, non-school days, and school vacation days to complement existing school day programs.

To achieve its mission, the fostering inspiration and relevance through science and technology pre-academy program shall house and provide direction for the robotics and space contextual learning program under section 304A-C and the research experiences for teachers program under section 304A-D.

(b) The goals of the pre-academy shall be to:

(1) Serve students between sixth and eighth grades, with contextual learning experiences in science, technology, engineering, and math related skills in a manner that complements the academic program at public high schools; and

(2) Motivate and engage students in science, technology, engineering, and math programs.

(c) The pre-academy program shall encourage partnerships with the Hawaii excellence through science and technology academies, other relevant programs within the University of Hawaii system, the department of education, interested schools in areas served by Hawaii excellence through science and technology academies, project EAST (environmental and spatial technology) program subjects, and appropriate public and private agencies, to establish a program of contextual learning for middle school students in science, technology, engineering, and math disciplines. School participation in the fostering inspiration and relevance through science and technology pre-academy programs shall be voluntary.

(d) The fostering inspiration and relevance through science and technology pre-academy program shall support development of additional contextual learning projects and summer science, technology, engineering, and math programs for middle school teachers. For additional contextual learning projects, priority shall be determined in collaboration with participating teachers. Areas may include global positioning system technology, ocean science, astronomy, earth science and wireless communications technology, conservation biology, and other science, technology, engineering, and math skills stimulating subjects as appropriate.

(e) The fostering inspiration and relevance through science and technology pre-academy shall develop program evaluation measures to ensure that all programs conducted under the pre‑academy are contributing to the advancement of science, technology, engineering, and math academics in the middle schools through research.

§304A-C Robotics and space contextual learning program; established. (a) There is established within the University of Hawaii the robotics and space contextual learning program, which shall be administered by the college of engineering. The mission of the robotics and space contextual learning program shall be to develop science, technology, engineering, and math skills among students in fostering inspiration and relevance through science and technology pre-academy and Hawaii excellence through science and technology academy programs through robotics- and space-technology-based, contextual projects and competitions. The robotics and space contextual learning program shall work with existing programs to expand and deepen activities, including but not limited to, National Aeronautics and Space Administration explorer schools; fostering inspiration and relevance through science and technology robotics, lego league, and vex challenges or competitions; botball educational robotics programs; and underwater robotics challenges.

(b) The robotics and space contextual learning program shall coordinate and cooperate with the fostering inspiration and relevance through science and technology pre-academy and Hawaii excellence through science and technology academy programs in establishing an integrated system of science, technology, engineering, and math related, contextual learning programs under the administration of the pre-academy. The robotics and space contextual learning program shall enlist, encourage, train, and support volunteer teachers and other mentors to conduct robotics and space-related programs at the school level.

§304A-D Research experiences for teachers program; established. (a) There is established the research experiences for teachers program within the University of Hawaii, which shall be administered by the University of Hawaii college of engineering. The purpose of the research experiences for teachers program shall be to support the development of middle school teacher skills and knowledge, and the development of middle school curriculum materials in science, technology, engineering, and math subject areas, with a focus on wireless communications.

(b) The research experiences for teachers program shall:

(1) Educate teachers in the advances in technology in wireless communications and engineering;

(2) Enhance teacher research skills through the use of software and innovative uses of equipment;

(3) Provide teacher participants with hands on research experiences;

(4) Support teachers in developing classroom lessons and program activities that meet their course objectives and student performance standards; and

(5) Provide opportunities to share and collaborate with other teacher participants to ensure successful implementation of curricula and programs.

(1) Providing on-site lectures, demonstrations, and laboratory tours at the University of Hawaii and middle schools;

(2) Reviewing wireless communication concepts, methods, history, and applications;

(3) Reviewing engineering and relevant science concepts, research methodology, and real-world applications;

(4) Reviewing key components of inquiry-based teaching materials;

(5) Providing teachers with technical content support;

(6) Assisting teachers in adapting state-of-the-art engineering research into a meaningful classroom experience for students;

(7) Providing seminars to transfer relevant information and experiences among teacher participants and sponsors;

(8) Providing summer engineering workshop for teachers; and

(9) Maintaining a website for content and program dissemination.

§304A-E Professional development program; established. (a) There is established within the University of Hawaii a professional development program to provide practicing elementary, middle, and high school teachers of science and mathematics courses with opportunities to increase their knowledge and understanding of recent developments in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The professional development program shall be administered by the University of Hawaii college of education and shall be open to both certificated and non-certificated teachers. Design of the professional development program shall include evaluation of best practices in other school jurisdictions.

(b) In recognition that the year-round public school calendar has shortened the summer period, that not all schools are on the same academic calendar, and that programs throughout the year, offered in a variety of formats, would facilitate immediate implementation in the classroom, the professional development program shall have the following attributes:

(1) Flexibility — the program shall provide a variety of options designed to meet the specific needs of Hawaii's teachers, which may include summer institutes, a combination of summer, after school, or weekend institutes, distance learning through video conferencing or other mechanisms, neighbor island locations, or other options; and

(2) Accountability — the program shall provide a method to track the student outcomes derived from participation in the program.

(c) The goal of the professional development program for practicing teachers shall be to provide training for two thousand six hundred teachers during the 2007-2009 biennium."

SECTION 4. There is established within the department of business, economic development, and tourism, the business/education internship and mentorship program. The purpose of this program is to establish, with the cooperation of educational institutions, intern, mentorship, and other experiential learning arrangements within the business community, nonprofit sector, and government, for Hawaii high school students and Hawaii high school graduates attending college in Hawaii or elsewhere. The goals of this program shall be to provide Hawaii students with experience in the world of work to improve their career choices, and to provide opportunities for Hawaii employers to establish relationships with students who represent an essential source of skills for Hawaii's future economic growth and prosperity. The department of business, economic development, and tourism shall coordinate with the department of education and may contract with appropriate government, nonprofit, or for-profit entities to accomplish the purpose and goals of this program.

SECTION 5. There is provided funding to support a successful recruitment program currently funded under the United States Department of Education Transition to Teaching Program that has resulted in ninety new qualified mathematics and science teachers since it began four-and-a-half years ago. The Transition to Teaching program provides stipends as recruitment incentives for people who hold degrees in science, technology, engineering, and math subjects to get their teaching certificates through the University of Hawaii's post baccalaureate certificate in secondary education program. The university's transition to teaching grant will expire in 2008. There is a chronic shortage of science and mathematics teachers and the post baccalaureate certificate in secondary education program is an effective method to address the problem, however, recruitment for potential science, technology, engineering, and math teachers is difficult and the incentive of stipends has proven effective. The goal of the program is to produce twenty new science or mathematics teachers each year.

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 the Transition to Teaching program to provide stipends to attract science, technology, engineering, and math graduates to the University of Hawaii post baccalaureate certificate in secondary education program.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the University of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 6. 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 for planning and start-up grants for the applied learning high school academy program established pursuant to section 2 of this Act.

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

SECTION 7. 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 the operations of applied learning high school academies established pursuant to section 2 of this Act; provided that the funds appropriated shall be allocated on a per pupil basis.

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

SECTION 8. There is appropriated out of 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 amount of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008-2009 for establishing the Hawaii excellence through science and technology academy program established pursuant to section 3 of this Act.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the University of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 9. There is appropriated out of 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 amount of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008-2009 for establishing the fostering inspiration and relevance through science and technology pre-academy program established pursuant to section 3 of this Act; provided that the sums appropriated shall be allocated as follows:

(1) $ for the robotics and space contextual learning program; and

(2) $ for the research experiences for teachers program.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the University of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 10. 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 developing certificate programs for professional development in science, technology, engineering, and math disciplines for practicing teachers.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the University of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 11. 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 the business/education internship and mentorship program.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of business, economic development, and tourism for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 12. In codifying the new sections added by section 3 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 13. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 14. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2007.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	1268
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007		H.D. 3
STATE OF HAWAII		S.D. 2