SB1933 HD1

PART I. TEACHER PREPARATION, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT,

AND RESEARCH PROGRAMS

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that recruitment and retention of qualified teachers for Hawaii's public schools continues to be a challenge for Hawaii's department of education and charter schools, as well as the teacher education community. The University of Hawaii's college of education plays a major role in the education of future teachers, continued professional development of educators, and programs that lead to licensing, certificate programs, mentoring of teachers, educational research, and policy studies.

The legislature further finds that the strategic plan of the University of Hawaii at Manoa calls for an ongoing commitment to public education in Hawaii.

The legislature further finds that teachers have expressed great frustration with the implementation of and compliance with the No Child Left Behind Act. Since its enactment, there has been a significant amount of experience and analysis of the effectiveness of the No Child Left Behind Act approach to assessments and standards. At the same time, many school systems, including the Hawaii state department of education, have sought to utilize nationally produced assessment instruments that have not always met the needs of our communities. In fact, the State, like many others, has not taken full advantage of the flexibilities that are offered by federal law. It is also apparent that referencing our standards requirements to a law that may be modified or repealed may limit the State's options.

The legislature further finds that greater collaboration between the University of Hawaii's many educational resources, including the Hawaii educational policy center and the department of education, will benefit all of Hawaii's students.

Specifically, this part includes appropriations for the following programs:

(1) Teacher education capacity (fiscal year 2007-2008: $ ; fiscal year 2008-2009: $ ). To continue efforts to fill the State's need for qualified teachers for Hawaii's keiki, this appropriation for additional permanent positions in fiscal year 2007 and another in fiscal year 2008 for the college of education allows the school to accept more qualified students into teacher education programs, thus increasing the number and quality of locally produced teachers in shortage areas such as mathematics, science, and, in keeping the P-20 initiative, early childhood education;

(2) Supporting the center on disability studies (fiscal year 2007-2008: $ ; fiscal year 2008-2009: $ ). To meet federal grant requirements for institutional support, the center on disability studies requests two additional permanent faculty positions. The center on disability studies operates with only one general-funded position. The additional positions will enable the center on disability studies to further expand its ability to obtain additional grant funds and, therefore, its outreach to serve the increasing numbers of persons with disabilities. The center on disability studies works through training, research, and service to improve quality of life for people with disabilities throughout the State, and currently manages more than eighty-eight faculty and staff members and fifty projects with a budget of over $ ;

(3) Funding for mentor teachers (fiscal year 2007-2008: $ ; fiscal year 2008-2009: $ ). Cooperating teachers/counselors and observation/participating teachers in grades kindergarten through twelve classrooms throughout the State provide an essential service to the college of education by supervising and mentoring full-time student teachers and other education practicum students in the field required for licensure. Funding for this item is requested to:

(A) More appropriately compensate mentor teachers for the additional work they provide in developing Hawaii's teacher workforce; and

(B) Put mentor compensation on par with other institutions of higher learning in the State;

(4) Funding for schools to apply to become professional development schools (fiscal year 2007-2008: $ ; fiscal year 2008-2009: $ ). Schools in reconstruction status under the federal No Child Left Behind law may compete for grants that address standards-based learning, teacher preparation, and professional development by the placement of faculty within the school to work with future and current teachers;

(5) Permanent special education faculty (fiscal year 2008‑2009: $ ). The State of Hawaii's need for more qualified special is allocated teachers is increasing. In order to fulfill this need, the college of education requests funds to hire seven permanent faculty and one full-time staff person in the special education department. These positions have been funded by the Hawaii department of education under a memorandum of agreement with the college of education, which, if discontinued, would impact the college of education's ability to produce qualified special education teachers;

(6) Funding responsibility for the master of education in teaching program (fiscal year 2007-2008: $ ; fiscal year 2008-2009: $ ). Transfer funding for the master of education in teaching program from the department of education to the college of education and expand stipends to include native Hawaiian cohort teachers. The master of education in teaching program is a two-year program, including two semesters of field experience in grades kindergarten through twelve classroom settings. During the fourth semester, teacher candidates work as teacher interns, whereby they fill a vacated department of education teacher position and are the teacher of record from January to the end of the department of education calendar year. The funds are used to pay mentor teachers in the program and stipends to the student interns in both the on-going master of education in teaching program cohort and to expand funding to include the native Hawaiian master of education in teacher program cohort;

(7) Provide funding for the office of school redesign at the University of Hawaii at Manoa (fiscal year 2007‑2008: $ ; fiscal year 2008-2009: $ ). The office of school redesign will provide technical support to public secondary schools and help in the development and implementation of small learning communities within large secondary schools throughout the State. With the appropriated moneys, the office will:

(A) Maintain a research database on the creation and effectiveness of small redesigned secondary schools;

(B) Lead state advocacy efforts for the creation of small redesigned secondary schools;

(C) Provide technical assistance to schools engaging in redesign through professional development institutes, facilitating/arranging visitations to exemplary or merging sites in Hawaii and elsewhere, and preparing/supporting a cadre of on-site coaches;

(D) Develop and promote connections and professional development opportunities for learning and sharing among local change agents;

(E) Participate with national networks of practitioners and researchers involved in launching or redesigning schools and school systems;

(F) Promote the concept of a research cadre that will be involved in developing, documenting, and disseminating understandings about school redesign, and contributing to a research database. Promote and facilitate dialogue among various school stakeholders with respect to the most current research and understandings about school redesign;

(G) Foster communication among educators, decision-makers, and the greater community to advance secondary school redesign; and

(H) Assist schools in preparing grant applications to advance redesign activities;

(8) Continue to support the collaboration of the college of education in filling the gap in producing highly qualified teachers. The Teach for America program in Hawaii is a partnership of the Hawaii department of education, the University of Hawaii college of education, and the national Teach for America program with support from the state legislature, the governor’s office, and private foundations/corporations. The intent is to provide highly qualified teachers in traditionally hard to fill areas such as mathematics, science, and special education, to serve in high poverty, high need communities. These are areas that the institutions of higher education in Hawaii collectively have been consistently unable to address. Teach for America is currently recruiting teachers to fill Hawaii vacancies. The funds are to provide a masters of education in teaching degree for newly hired Teach for America teachers (4 positions for fiscal year 2007‑2008: $ ; 4 positions for fiscal year 2008-2009: $ ); and

(9) Create a seamless career pathway from high school to community college to baccalaureate completion preparing educational assistants and teachers to fill high need areas through Leeward community college and the University of Hawaii at Manoa college of education. Leeward community college and the college of education will work together to recruit, train, and retain prospective educational assistants, paraprofessionals, and elementary and secondary teachers by combining resources to reach out to community members interested in pursuing a career in education. Leeward community college will provide education training resulting in an associate of arts in teaching degree. The college of education will accept Leeward community college associate of arts in teaching degree holders into an upper division cohort specially designed for associate of arts in teaching graduates that will lead to state teacher licensure. Courses will be delivered in Leeward communities through face-to-face, distance learning, and/or hybrid instruction. Leeward community college requests 2.5 positions (fiscal year 2007-2008: $ ; fiscal year 2008-2009: $ ). College of education requests 3.5 positions (fiscal year 2007-2008: $ ; fiscal year 2008-2009: $ ).

SECTION 2. Section 304A-701, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"[[]§304A-701[]] Hawaii educator loans; eligibility; amounts[.]; forgiveness. (a) There is created the Hawaii educator loan program to be administered by the University of Hawaii, [~~to provide financial support to students who complete~~] the purpose of which is to:

(1) Provide recruitment incentives for students to enroll in state-approved teacher education programs; and

(2) Provide a retention incentive for teachers who have graduated from a state-approved teacher education program and who agree to teach in the Hawaii public school system.

Eligibility shall be awarded by the university to students on a competitive basis.

(b) The amount to be loaned to a student as a recruitment incentive shall be determined by the board of regents based on need for financial aid and proof of acceptance into a state-approved teacher education program at the university. The maximum amount of loans that a student may receive under this program shall be an aggregate amount equivalent to tuition payments and costs of textbooks and other instructional materials necessary to complete a state-approved teacher education program.

SECTION 3. Section 304A-702, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended as follows:

1. By amending subsection (b) to read:

"(b) Upon a showing of proof that the loan recipient has completed a state-approved teacher education program and is employed as a full-time teacher in the Hawaii public school system, [~~one-tenth~~] ten per cent of the total amount of the loan and interest shall be waived for every year of the first five years, and the remaining balance shall be waived after the sixth year that a loan recipient teaches in a Hawaii public school in a hard-to-fill position as determined by the superintendent of education, including special education, regular education shortage categories, or Title 1 schools, and in one of the following capacities:

(1) As an elementary school teacher teaching in the field of elementary education who has met standards as set forth by the Hawaii teacher standards board; or

(2) As a secondary school teacher teaching in the subject area that is relevant to the loan recipient's academic major as certified by the department of education who has met standards as set forth by the Hawaii teacher standards board."

2. By amending subsection (d) to read:

"(d) If a loan recipient subject to this section fails to teach in the Hawaii public school system for a minimum of [~~ten~~] six consecutive years from the loan recipient's original date of employment with the department of education[,] or a charter school, excluding sabbatical and other forms of temporary leaves of absence, then the loan recipient shall repay any remaining loan balance at the rate of ten per cent simple interest."

SECTION 4. 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 University of Hawaii to carry out the purposes of this part, including the hiring of necessary staff; provided that:

(1) For fiscal year 2007-2008, the sums appropriated shall be allocated as follows:

(A) $ for an additional position for the college of education to increase teacher education capacity;

(B) $ for 2.0 (FTE) positions for the center on disability studies;

(D) $ to enable schools to apply to become professional development schools;

(E) $ for the master of education in teaching program;

(F) $ for the office of school redesign;

(G) $ for the college of education to fund masters of education in teaching degrees for teachers;

(H) $ for 2.5 (FTE) positions for Leeward community college for educational training;

(I) $ for 3.5 (FTE) positions for the college of education for educational training; and

(J) $ for the Hawaii educator loan program.

(2) For fiscal year 2008-2009, the sums appropriated shall be allocated as follows:

(A) $ shall be for 2.0 (FTE) positions for the college of education to increase teacher education capacity;

(B) $ for 2.0 (FTE) positions for the center on disability studies;

(D) $ to enable schools to apply to become professional development schools;

(E) $ for permanent special education faculty;

(F) $ for the master of education in teaching program;

(G) $ for the office of school redesign;

(H) $ for the college of education to fund masters of education in teaching degrees for teachers;

(I) $ for 2.5 (FTE) positions for Leeward community college for educational training;

(J) $ for 3.0 (FTE) positions for the college of education for educational training; and

(K) $ for the Hawaii educator loan program.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the University of Hawaii.

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, and the same sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008-2009, to the Hawaii teacher cadet program fund.

SECTION 6. There is appropriated out of the Hawaii teacher cadet program fund 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 the teacher cadet program, including recruitment, retention, training, and teacher support.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this part; provided that the Hawaii alliance for future teachers matches the amounts appropriated, as provided in section 302A-401.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

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 induction teacher mentoring for new teachers and teachers who are new to Hawaii based upon a fifteen-to-one teacher to mentor ratio. Induction mentors, not new teachers, should be recognized as educators who have demonstrated exemplary performance and these educators shall have the opportunity to be induction teachers and their participation shall be flexible. These teachers shall have full return rights to their previous teaching positions.

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

PART II. ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

SECTION 8. Act 160, Session Laws of Hawaii 2006, appropriated $2,000,000, for purchasing science textbooks and teaching resources.

The purpose of this part is to improve the academic achievement of students in mathematics and science by providing funds for the following purposes:

(1) To purchase mathematics and science textbooks and other learning materials, including virtual learning resources, for articulated K‑12 mathematics and science instruction within a complex;

(2) To provide funds for professional development and teaching resources in mathematics, and the use of assessments to provide appropriate mathematics interventions for individual students; and

(3) To provide funds for mathematics coaches and their training.

SECTION 9. 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 purposes of:

(1) Purchasing mathematics textbooks and other mathematics learning materials;

(2) Funding professional development for teachers of mathematics, mathematics coaching; and

(3) Conducting assessments to provide appropriate mathematics interventions for individual students.

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

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, to purchase science textbooks and other teaching resources; provided that schools within a complex receiving funds have a K‑12 articulated science curriculum.

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

PART III. MISCELLANEOUS

SECTION 11. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 12. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2007; provided that sections 2 and 3 shall be effective upon approval.

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	1933
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007		S.D. 2
STATE OF HAWAII		H.D. 1