SB1648 SD1

SECTION 1. The purpose of this Act is to:

(1) Create a new category of high schools within the department of education that will link the curriculum of a school to the mission of a particular agency or University of Hawaii campus and the private sector work force;

(2) Establishing the Hawaii excellence through science and technology (HiEST) academy program to increase preparedness for post-secondary education and the workforce;

(3) Establishing the robotics and space contextual learning program to develop science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills among students;

(4) Establishing the business/education internship and mentorship program to increase opportunities for high school and college students to gain work experience; and

(5) Support smaller learning communities grants that are currently in existence in public school high schools.

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 ACADEMIES

§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 school within a school, with an approved five-year plan to deliver an applied learning curriculum, including project EAST (environmental and spatial 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 campus.

"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 and the workforce development council 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) Incorporate programs within the model, including project EAST (environmental and spatial 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) Assist in teacher recruitment and placement in applied learning high school academy programs;

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

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

(12) Promote and assist in the development of adult continuing education and college-level education programs in private industry; and

(13) 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 community, group of high school teachers, group of teachers and administrators, state agency, or nonprofit organization may submit a letter of intent to the department to convert a department high school into an applied learning high school academy and shall develop a detailed five-year plan that shall include its plan to secure significant support of the high school from 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 resource 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 and University of Hawaii campuses.

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

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

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

(3) Opportunities for seniors 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) Upon approval of the five-year plan, the school community council shall have the same independent authority over curriculum of the applied learning high school academy for the five-year period as the charter school local school boards.

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

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

"§304A- Hawaii excellence through science and technology academy program; established. (a) There is established within the University of Hawaii community college system, the statewide Hawaii excellence through science and technology academy program. The program shall be headed by a director and staffed by one support specialist, one secretary, and one support position.

The purpose of the Hawaii excellence through science and technology academy program shall be 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.

(b) The Hawaii excellence through science and technology academy program shall partner with the department of education, interested high schools, and appropriate public, nonprofit, and private agencies, to establish individual Hawaii excellence through science and technology academies at up to fourteen selected high schools throughout the State. School participation in the Hawaii excellence through science and technology program shall be voluntary. The selected high schools shall provide space on or adjacent to their campuses for the academy program. All instructors in the high school academies shall be certified to teach at both department of education and community college standards; provided that courses taught through the academies shall provide students with both high school and University of Hawaii academic credits to the maximum extent possible.

(c) The Hawaii excellence through science and technology academy program shall place priority on engaging students who are not involved in advanced placement programs, international baccalaureate programs, or advanced science and mathematics programs. The intent of the program shall be to produce better-prepared graduates, able to transfer to the colleges of their choice without the need for remediation.

The Hawaii excellence through science and technology academy shall support the partnership of the University of Hawaii and the department of education in the American diploma project, which establishes a dialogue and joint curriculum assessment between teachers from high schools and colleges. This dialogue shall help to ensure a smooth transition from high schools to college and improve the abilities of students to meet their educational and career objectives.

(d) Each Hawaii excellence through science and technology academy shall have a lead instructor employed by the community college system. Additional qualified instructors may be hired by the community colleges. Teachers, including those with the department of education, may also teach within the academy program after appropriate certification training by the community college system.

Each of the seven community colleges of the University of Hawaii shall endeavor to partner with two high schools on its respective island to establish the fourteen Hawaii excellence through science and technology academies statewide. Each community college shall also consult regularly with the respective county economic development board, workforce investment boards, and other stakeholders to advise them of plans and progress on development of the Hawaii excellence through science and technology academies and to invite input.

(e) Hawaii excellence through science and technology academies shall work with the host high school to implement the required academic programs as well as project-based, contextual learning programs designed to use and expand students' academic skills. The programs shall be designed primarily for grades eleven and twelve for math, science, and technology, coupled with math development for grades nine and ten.

Each high school academy program will strive to enroll at least twenty-five per cent of the high school student body in academy programs within two years of its inception. The statewide fourteen Hawaii excellence through science and technology academies shall strive to serve four thousand high school students by the end of its second year of operation with one thousand graduating from high school and the Hawaii excellence through science and technology academies per year.

(f) The academy system shall also strive to reduce the need for math and English remediation among its graduated academy members attending post-secondary training to no more than twenty per cent. The academy shall develop performance measures to ensure that the programs conducted are 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.

§304A- 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 headed by a state coordinator and staffed by two field staff. The mission of the robotics and space contextual learning program shall be to develop science, technology, engineering, and math skills among students in 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, vex, botball, and underwater robotics challenges.

The director and staff of the robotics and space contextual learning program shall coordinate and cooperate with the director and staff of the Hawaii excellence through science and technology academy program in establishing a well integrated system of science, technology, engineering, and math related, contextual learning programs. 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.

The goal of the robotics and space contextual learning program shall be to involve three thousand students."

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 shall be to establish, with the cooperation of educational institutions, intern, mentorship, and other experiential learning arrangements within the business community, the nonprofit sector, and the 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 an opportunity 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 may contract with appropriate government, nonprofit, or for-profit entities to accomplish the purpose and goals of this program.

SECTION 5. 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 the applied learning high school academies 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 6. There is appropriated out of general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $3,204,016, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2007-2008, and the amount of $1,672,888, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008-2009, for establishing the Hawaii excellence through science and technology academy program.

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

SECTION 7. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $314,925, 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 robotics and space contextual learning program.

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

SECTION 8. There is appropriated out of general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $110,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2007-2008, and $110,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008-2009, for the business and 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 9. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 10. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2007;

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	1648
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII