THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	34
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION to CONDUCT A FEASIBILITY STUDY TO EXAMINE the IMPACTS OF A LONGER SCHOOL DAY for elementary school STUDENTS.

     WHEREAS, Board of Education Policy Number 4160 requires that a student's day shall be based on no less than thirty hours per week, distributed over a five-day week; and

     WHEREAS, if the student's parent, guardian, or other adult having legal responsibility for, or care of, the student is employed for more than thirty hours a week, this leaves a significant amount of time when the student may be either left unattended or enrolled in before- or after-school programs; and

     WHEREAS, more time spent in a quality learning environment increases a student's opportunity for improved learning; and

     WHEREAS, increasing the length of the school day will provide more opportunities for both academic and enrichment curriculum and programs; and

     WHEREAS, increasing the length of the school day may result in a shorter school year, which could save on operational and other costs to the Department of Education; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2009, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Department of Education is requested to conduct a feasibility study to examine the fiscal, curriculum, and other impacts of a longer school day for elementary school students; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education is requested to consider and include in the feasibility study:

     (1)  Current average numbers of classroom hours and instruction days statewide for students in kindergarten through grades five and six;

     (2)  Current curriculum and other content offerings and how these might be augmented in an extended school day;

     (3)  Whether increasing the length of the school day would result in decreasing the number of school days per year;

     (4)  Fiscal and non-fiscal impacts, by area;

     (5)  Potential schedules for changes to the school calendar, by school year and by area;

     (6)  Any utility or operational savings from any decrease in the number of school days per year; and

     (7)  Any other information that may be relevant; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education is requested to submit a report on its findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2010, including any requests for additional funding or legislation required for implementation; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Superintendent of Education and the Chairperson of the Board of Education.

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

DOE; Feasibility Study; Extended School Day; Elementary Students