SB2480

SECTION 1. In early 2007, the National Governors Association (NGA) made improving the nation's economic competitiveness through innovation its primary focus. In a report titled, "A Benchmarking of the Hawaii Educational System", Monitor Group and the NGA Center for Best Practices profiled how Hawaii's educational system was performing relative to national averages. Although Hawaii's high school graduation rate is close to the national average (about seventy per cent compared with seventy-five per cent), its postsecondary completion rate was six points below the national average (forty-seven per cent compared against fifty-three per cent), and twenty points below the highest-performing states. The report states,". . . [t]his statistic measures state universities' success in helping as many students through the system as possible. As the importance of a college education grows . . . so does the relevance of this metric in assessing a state's educational performance." Similar differences were found in eighth grade National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) test scores for 2004-2005, SAT scores and Advanced Placement (AP) course participation rates.

The 2007 legislature strongly endorsed Science-Technology-Engineering-Math (STEM)-related initiatives and creative media education as the most practical, hands-on means of increasing students' interest in pursuing math/science and technology careers. All "STEM" proposals were evaluated against the backdrop of existing, successful math/science and related initiatives. Emphasizing the need to build upon solid performance outcomes, the legislature adopted Act 111, Session Laws of Hawaii 2007, to expand existing STEM programs like robotics (including FIRST Lego League, Junior FIRST Lego League, botball, underwater ROV, VEX, Micro-Robot and robotics camps) and Research Experiences for Teachers – Middle School (RET); and Act 271, Session Laws of Hawaii 2007, to expand Project EAST. At the same time, Act 111 funded new programs (like the Hi-EST Academy, applied learning high school academies, business/education internships, and related STEM teacher development) in a pilot environment to provide the department of education, University of Hawaii, individual schools, and their tech partners with an opportunity to work through initial set-up requirements and to produce a well-tested model for future expansion.

The initial legislative targets for 2007-2008 were to double the existing forty-eight STEM, RET, Project EAST, and robotics programs within public schools to achieve a level of eighty-four school initiatives. Based on strong demand from individual schools, and stellar tournament results, the number of schools desiring to participate in STEM initiatives funded by Act 111, Session Laws of Hawaii 2007, and Act 271, Session Laws of Hawaii 2007, far exceed the 2008 target. At the highest level of robotics team competition, the number of For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) robotics teams has grown from four participating high schools in 2007 to twenty-five Hawaii high school teams (including public and private schools) in 2008. This year's March 2008 FIRST robotics regional tournament in Honolulu, Hawaii includes thirty-eight schools competing for the national FIRST championships (being held in April 2008 in Georgia).

The legislature therefore reaffirms its initial commitment to expand outstanding and new STEM-related programs in Hawaii's public schools and public charter schools by providing additional funds to ensure that all schools desiring to join in providing STEM programs for their students will be able to participate between 2008‑2012. The legislature also proposes to add funding support to after-school creative media education initiatives to allow for a broader range of student participation in these programs.

SECTION 2. Act 111, Session Laws of Hawaii 2007, is amended by amending part V, section 12 to read as follows:

"SECTION 12. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $1,402,230 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 establish the fostering inspiration and relevance through science and technology pre-academy program, including nine full-time equivalent (9.00 FTE) positions in the University of Hawaii college of engineering; provided that the sums appropriated shall be allocated to existing creative media education programs as follows:

(1) $314,925 for fiscal year 2007-2008 and the [~~same~~] sum of $ for fiscal year 2008-2009 for the robotics and problem-based, applied learning program; and

(2) $734,805 for fiscal year 2007-2008 and the [~~same~~] sum of $ for fiscal year 2008-2009 for the research experiences for teachers program.

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

SECTION 3. Act 271, Session Laws of Hawaii 2007, is amended by amending sections 2 and 3 to read as follows:

"SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $1,100,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2007-2008, and the sum of $ , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008-2009 to be deposited into the Hawaii 3Ts school technology laboratories fund established pursuant to section 302A-1314, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the Hawaii 3Ts school technology laboratories fund the sum of $1,100,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2007-2008, and the sum of $ , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008-2009 to maintain the project EAST program in existing schools and to expand the program to schools statewide; provided that no funds shall be expended unless matching funds are provided pursuant to section 302A-1314(p), Hawaii Revised Statutes.

The [~~sum~~] sums appropriated shall be expended by the Economic Development Alliance of Hawaii, Inc., in accordance with section 302A-1314, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and implemented in partnership with county economic development boards, as appropriate, for the purposes of this Act."

SECTION 4. There is appropriated or authorized from the federal temporary assistance for needy families program funds the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008-2009, for the department of human services, to augment, not replace, funding for STEM programs and creative media education programs funded by this Act.

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

SECTION 5. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2008.

INTRODUCED BY:

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THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2480
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008
STATE OF HAWAII