SB2112

SECTION 1. The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to raise the number of highly accomplished recent college graduates teaching in underserved urban and rural communities in Hawaii and to increase the number of schools and communities served by the Teach For America Program.

This Act is intended to build a broader pipeline of talented and experienced future leaders in public education and education reform in Hawaii.

SECTION 2. For the purposes of this Act:

"High needs" means a school in which a substantial percentage of students are eligible for free or reduced price government sponsored meals.

"Highly qualified" has the same meaning as that term is used in section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).

SECTION 3. (a) The department of education shall use the appropriation provided in this Act to acquire teachers recruited under the Teach For America Program to:

(1) Provide ten highly qualified teachers who have pledged to teach in high needs schools in Hawaii for at least two years;

(2) Pay the cost of recruiting, selecting, training, and supporting new teachers hired pursuant to this Act; and

(3) Provide ongoing professional development activities for the selected teachers in the classroom, including regular classroom observations and feedback, and ongoing training and support.

The department of education is authorized as necessary to effectuate the purposes of this Act, including selecting the high needs schools participating under this Act.

(b) The department of education and the Teach for America Program shall report to the legislature twenty days prior to the convening of the 2008 legislative session. The report shall include:

(1) Data on the number and characteristics of the teachers provided to schools under this Act;

(2) An externally conducted analysis of the satisfaction of the department of education and supervising principals with respect to the teachers hired pursuant to this Act;

(3) Comprehensive data on the background, training, placement sites, professional development, and the retention rate of the teachers hired under this Act; and

(4) A comparison of the academic achievement of students taught by teachers hired pursuant to this Act and other teachers in the same schools and positions.

SECTION 4. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $100,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008-2009 to hire teachers in the Teach for America Program pursuant to this Act.

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

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2008.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2112
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008
STATE OF HAWAII