Report Title:

Education; Hawaiian Language Medium Education Lab School; Appropriations

 

Description:

Appropriates funds for facilities construction and other educational needs of Nawahiokalaniopuu laboratory school of the University of Hawaii at Hilo.

 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

923

TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to education.

 

 

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

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the year 2007 marks the tenth anniversary the creation of a Hawaiian language medium laboratory school that is open to all ethnicities and affiliated with the University of Hawaii at Hilo.  The Nawahiokalaniopuu laboratory school is recognized by the State in a similar manner as the English language medium laboratory school in Honolulu, the University laboratory school, that is affiliated with the University of Hawaii at Manoa.  The year 2007 also marks the twentieth anniversary of the initiation of the first cohort of Hawaiian immersion students in the state public schools, a cohort that was represented in the first graduating high school class from Nawahiokalaniopuu laboratory school.

     The school, an international leader in development of literacy and academics among indigenous peoples, has reproduced much of the academic successes of Hawaii's nineteenth century Hawaiian language medium public schools.  Nawahiokalaniopuu laboratory school graduates are studying at prominent universities such as Oxford, Stanford, and Loyola Marymount.

     The legislature also finds that enrollment at the Nawahiokalaniopuu laboratory school has grown significantly and facilities provided by the not-for-profit organization, Aha Punana Leo, Incorporated, are inadequate for its population.  The school has not received any funds to house its programs, which are an innovative combination of both department of education and charter school curricula.

     SECTION 2.  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 facilities construction and other educational needs of the Nawahiokalaniopuu laboratory school of the University of Hawaii at Hilo.

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

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2007.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

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