SB2242

SECTION 1. The legislature is committed to providing excellence in education in Hawaii. Under Act 51, Session Laws of Hawaii 2004, the Reinventing Education Act of 2004, the legislature found that "[a]lthough the State's students, parents, teachers, school administrators, departmental staff, and other educational stakeholders strive to achieve excellence, their efforts will never be completely successful until various aspects of the system around them are improved."

The legislature reiterates its support for efforts by the department of education to improve Hawaii's schools to not only enhance the academic achievement, safety and well being, and civic commitment of students, but to also meet the evolving needs of today's communities. That need includes after-school programs that help facilitate academic achievement, fulfill recreational needs, and promote civic responsibilities, as demonstrated by existing programs on and off campus by the office of youth services, Young Men's Christian Association, Boys and Girls Club, and other agencies.

The State's after-school programs provide safe and supervised after-school education, enrichment, and recreation for students. Research demonstrates that youth who participate in after-school programs are less likely to drink alcohol, smoke, use drugs, or drop out of school.

Although the State provides the A Plus program for students in lower grades (and high schools have formal athletic programs), there are no formal non-school-hour activities for students in grades six to twelve. One way to remedy this oversight is to provide for a non-school-hour activities program coordinator. The coordinator position would be responsible for the coordination of all non‑school-hour activities and ensure that all students have access to quality programs.

The purpose of this Act is to improve non-school-hour programs by establishing a task force to review and recommend improvements to the State's current non-school-hour activities programs and appropriating funds for non-school-hour activities and for a program coordinator.

SECTION 2. (a) There is established a non-school-hour activities task force within the department of education. The non-school-hour activities task force shall consist of the following members appointed by the superintendent of education:

(1) The non-school-hour activities program coordinator;

(2) Athletic directors;

(3) Two middle school administrators;

(4) Two high school administrators;

(5) A representative from the office of youth services;

(6) Two representatives from service organizations;

(7) A union representative;

(8) A representative from a faith-based organization;

(9) A representative from each county;

(10) Community college representatives;

(11) Student representatives; and

(12) Additional members that may be determined by the superintendent.

(b) In carrying out its duties under this section, the task force may request staff assistance from the department of education, the department of human services, and other appropriate agencies.

(c) The members of the task force shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for expenses, including travel expenses, necessary for the performance of their duties.

(d) The task force shall:

(1) Review the types of non-school-hour programs available in middle schools, including by means of asset mapping to geographically identify where the programs are administered and the population being served;

(2) Research the preferences of students, parents, and educators regarding non-school-hour activities;

(3) Identify programs that attract students who do not normally participate in non-school-hour activities;

(4) Identify public and private agencies willing to participate in non-school-hour activities;

(5) Identify vacant or unused public school or public park facilities that can be used for non-school-hour activities by public or private providers and determine if the land or facilities can be used by private providers to construct, lease, or rent;

(6) Determine available and potential resources for funding the establishment of new non-school-hour activities;

(7) Establish a master plan to locate and construct new schools adjoining or adjacent to existing public or private recreational facilities when possible; and

(8) Recommend legislation for the implementation of an after-school, weekend, and semester break activities pilot program for students in grades six to twelve.

(e) The task force shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including recommended legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2009 and shall cease to exist on June 30, 2009.

SECTION 3. Section 302A-408, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§302A-408 [~~After-school and weekend~~] Non-school-hour programs. (a) The department and the appropriate county agencies may establish and regulate non-school-hour programs [of], including after-school [~~and~~], weekend, and semester break community-school activities for children, including but not limited to [~~child-care programs, arts and crafts, hula, ukulele,~~] academic, technology, visual arts, performing arts, athletic, cultural, and other recreational [~~projects,~~] programs, wherever feasible, at public school and public park facilities. In addition to any appropriation of public funds, reasonable fees established by the agencies operating the programs may be collected from children enrolled, in the furtherance of particular programs. The appropriate agencies may obtain from time to time the services of department personnel, students, and persons in a voluntary or unpaid capacity, exempt from chapter 76, as may be necessary for carrying out the purposes of this section, and may regulate their duties, powers, and responsibilities when not otherwise provided by law. Any person whose services have been so accepted, while engaged in the performance of duty under this section, shall be deemed a state employee or an employee of a political subdivision, as the case may be, in determining the liability of the State or the political subdivision for the negligent acts of these persons.

(b) The department may:

(1) Allow the use of school facilities by public and private entities;

(2) Provide transportation services for students participating in the non-school-hour programs; and

(3) Authorize schools to charge a fee for the use of their facilities; provided that low-income students may be charged a reduced fee.

(c) There is established within the department a non-school-hour activities program coordinator position to coordinate the State's non-school-hour programs; provided that the coordinator shall serve at the pleasure of the superintendent and the position may be established as a permanent position not subject to chapter 76."

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 2008-2009 for a non-school-hour activities program coordinator.

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

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 2008-2009 for non-school-hour programs, which shall include after-school, weekend, and semester break programs.

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

SECTION 6. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 7. This Act shall take effect upon its approval;
provided that sections 4 and 5 shall be effective on July 1, 2008.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2242
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008
STATE OF HAWAII