THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	86
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

requesting the Department of Education to develop an inventory of all textbooks for all public schools.

     WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that the Department of Education lacks an inventory system for textbooks; and

     WHEREAS, the current system allows public schools to purchase their own books, which results in schools using different books for similar courses; and

     WHEREAS, coordinating book purchases through the Department of Education would ensure that students in public schools throughout the islands would have access to the same textbooks; and

     WHEREAS, having the same textbooks in all public schools would allow students who change schools to integrate smoothly into the new school's curriculum; and

     WHEREAS, having the same textbooks would help streamline teacher training, as teachers would be familiar with the books used in all public schools; and

     WHEREAS, purchasing books in mass would reduce costs, allowing the funds to be used for different projects; and

     WHEREAS, before implementing any system to ensure that all public schools are using the same textbooks, an accurate inventory of all textbooks currently in use in all public schools must be developed; 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 develop an inventory of all textbooks currently in use in all public schools; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the inventory shall include:

     (1)  The publication date of all textbooks in current use;

     (2)  A differentiation of the information for elementary, middle, and high school grade levels;

     (3)  The adequacy of the inventory of books in relation to the number of students; and

     (4)  A list of texts recommended by the Department of Education and by national organizations for the subject matter; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education is requested to report its findings and submit the inventory to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2010; and

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

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

DOE; Textbook Inventory