SB2880

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that, since July 2002, the Hawaii teacher standards board has been licensing teachers and approving teacher preparation programs. The Hawaii teacher standards board has been working in collaboration with teacher preparation programs, schools, agencies, and the department of education to improve the quantity and quality of data that is accessible to all parties. Accessibility to the necessary data on teachers improves the State's ability to plan for and strengthen quality teachers.

Over the past several years, the Hawaii teacher standards board has been developing an electronic teacher licensing system that has the capability to interface with public and private Hawaii teacher education institutions and the department of education and to share information about licensed teachers, as well as to receive data from these same institutions and agencies. The electronic teacher licensing system would expedite operations and avoid the need for duplicative collection of data by multiple institutions and agencies. This sharing of information would enable all parties to expedite the processes required in the performance of their duties and responsibilities.

The purpose of this Act is to authorize the board of education, based on the support of the teacher education coordinating committee, to coordinate the creation of a data interface network consisting of teacher education institutions and the department of education in order to support the free interchange of information valuable to all of the participating organizations.

SECTION 2. The data sharing effort involves technology, functionality, and project management and coordination. The Hawaii teacher standards board uses simple object access protocol-based web services as the technology base for the interface between its network partners. All parties shall implement simple object access protocol-based web services or install turnkey hardware, software, and communications translation solutions to interface existing systems to the information network without changing those existing systems.

Over the next several months, the participating organizations shall work to agree on a list of transactions that each will be prepared to service and originate. These transactions shall include all information that each participating institution or agency stores in its automated systems, including data from the department of education, that may support teacher licensing, re-licensing, teacher education and hiring, including, but not limited to:

(1) License information for any current licensee, license application information for any applicant;

(2) State approved teacher education program completion information;

(3) University course completion information for any licensee;

(4) Higher education degree information;

(5) Teacher employment and work site information; and

(6) Teacher termination, resignation, retirement or leave status data records.

Based on discussions among all participating organizations, an assessment of available internal resources and additional resources required shall be used to determine the funding needed to implement this Act.

SECTION 3. 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 the Hawaii teacher standards board to coordinate an effort that creates a data interface network among public and private Hawaii teacher education institutions and the department of education; provided that funds are used or disbursed in consultation with the participating organizations.

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

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2008.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2880
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008
STATE OF HAWAII