SB3252 CD1

PART I

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that Hawaii has experienced a severe teacher shortage and rampant turnover in its public schools for the past decade. Each year, the State hires approximately 1,600 new teachers to fill vacant positions statewide. However, once hired, approximately 50 per cent of these newly hired teachers leave the system within five years. The Hawaii educational policy center reports that a primary concern of those leaving is dissatisfaction with an overall lack of professional support for new teachers. Additionally, the Hawaii State Teachers Association reports that, based on a survey of its members, approximately one-third of teachers will leave the profession after only three years with 46 per cent leaving within five years.

The legislature further finds that the loss of teachers costs the department of education approximately $4,000,000 per year. This estimation, however, may be a conservative estimate with more fully comprehensive estimates totaling closer to $29,000,000 per year.

The purpose of this Act is to address the ongoing teacher shortage problem in the state through various programs, incentives, appropriations, and changes to the current law relating to teachers. Specifically, this Act:

(1) Appropriates funds for public school teachers and teacher candidates to take PRAXIS preparatory courses, tutorials, or programs to become highly qualified under the No Child Left Behind Act; and

(2) Appropriates funds to establish professional development schools within Hawaii public schools to train preservice teachers.

PART II

SECTION 2. According to the Hawaii educational policy center, based on preliminary data, by the 2010-2011 school year, the number of new hires required each year in Hawaii public schools can be reduced from 1,600 to approximately 1,400. By the 2015-2016 school year, the number can be reduced to approximately 800 new hires. To accomplish the foregoing reductions, the State must support efforts to assist in-service teachers in passing PRAXIS examinations to become licensed.

The purpose of this part is to appropriate funds to assist public school teachers and teacher candidates participating in preparatory courses, tutorials, or programs for the PRAXIS examinations to become highly qualified under the No Child Left Behind Act.

SECTION 3. 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 assist public school teachers seeking to become highly qualified under the No Child Left Behind Act by paying for their participation in preparatory courses, tutorials, or programs for the PRAXIS examinations.

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

PART III

SECTION 4. Pursuant to Act 313, Session Laws of Hawaii 2001, the legislature funded the establishment and development of professional development schools in Hawaii. Professional development schools, wherein a public school enters into formal agreements with teacher education programs that address standards-based education and teacher preparation, equip teachers with the resources and skills necessary to ensure that all students attain their full potential. An important component of professional development schools is mentoring and induction, which is only part of a holistic approach focused on a specific school or an entire complex. Professional development schools are based on shared decision-making between all parties to improve student learning. Professional development schools have proven successful in:

(1) Helping hard-to-fill schools nurture their own future teachers;

(2) Better preparing teacher candidates to teach;

(3) Positively impacting preschool-through-twelfth-grade student achievement; and

(4) Improving teacher retention.

The purpose of this part is to appropriate funds to establish professional development schools for teachers in public schools in the state.

SECTION 5. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $200,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008-2009 to establish four professional development schools for teachers in Hawaii public schools; provided that:

(1) The department of education shall allocate funds to professional development schools by means of competitive grants subject to the availability of resources; provided further that schools that were selected previously shall receive first consideration;

(2) A grant application shall include a description of how the professional development school will meet the professional development school standards of the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education and the department's six images of success:

(A) Standards-based learning;

(B) Professionalism and the capacity of the system;

(D) Coordinated teamwork;

(E) Responsiveness of the system; and

(F) Focused and sustained action;

(3) Five per cent of the funds appropriated to establish and continue development of professional development schools shall be set aside for program administration, including an annual professional development school conference;

(4) Grants may be awarded for up to five years at a time and may be renewable; and

(5) Professional development schools shall present annual reports to the department and shall present findings at the annual professional development school conference.

For the purposes of this part, "professional development schools" means those public schools, consortia of schools, or departments within schools that have entered into formal agreements with state-approved teacher education programs to address standards-based education, teacher preparation, and professional development.

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

PART IV

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

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	3252
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008		S.D. 2
STATE OF HAWAII		H.D. 2
		C.D. 1