THE SENATE	S.R. NO.	98
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE RESOLUTION

requesting the Hawaii P-20 Partnerships for Education to convene the appropriate agencies to examine current and emerging programs seeking to track student progress and develop a longitudinal data system for students beginning in early childhood programs to grade twelve, and beyond to higher education and the workforce.

     WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that data-based decision making is critical to good governance and management; and

     WHEREAS, an essential element of a high performing education system is having high quality data to inform decision making and to evaluate the impact of policies, interventions, and resource use; and

     WHEREAS, moreover, an effective data system for education should measure students' participation and academic achievement in the education systems and programs and beyond; and

     WHEREAS, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5, H.R. 1, S.1) State Fiscal Stabilization funds (Title XIV) require that the Governor provide assurance related to improving collection and use of data via a longitudinal data system that includes the elements described in section 6401(e)(2)(D) of the America COMPETES Act (20 U.S.C. 9871); and

     WHEREAS, the Legislature further finds that, currently, no single state agency collects or maintains the data needed to develop a P-20 tracking system that monitors student information regarding background characteristics, enrollment in education systems, educational outcomes, participation in programs, and workforce participation; and

     WHEREAS, coordination among the agencies is essential to gathering and utilizing relevant information; and

     WHEREAS, a number of efforts are underway currently to improve the assessment of student participation and performance, including the Hawaii P-20 Partnerships for Education, which is piloting a reporting system that tracks students longitudinally from the Department of Education to the University of Hawaii; and

     WHEREAS, the State has also received a grant from the National Governors Association to develop an outcomes accounting system to assess the effectiveness of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics initiatives passed in the Regular Session of 2007; and

     WHEREAS, these efforts provide a starting point for the development of a comprehensive performance measuring system; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2009, that the Hawaii P-20 Partnerships for Education is requested to convene the appropriate agencies to examine current and emerging programs seeking to track student progress and develop a longitudinal data system for students beginning in early childhood programs to grade twelve, and beyond to higher education and the workforce; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that these agencies include, but not be limited to the following:

     (1)  Department of Education;

     (2)  University of Hawaii;

     (3)  Department of Labor and Industrial Relations; and

     (4)  Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Hawaii P-20 Partnerships for Education is requested, with the assistance of the appropriate agencies, to establish a data sharing agreement to support a longitudinal data system and to meet requirements of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Hawaii P-20 Partnerships for Education is requested to report its findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session 2011, including the status of a state longitudinal data system, and a timeline and resources needed to develop, implement, maintain, and use a state longitudinal data system; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Executive Director of the Hawaii P-20 Partnerships for Education, Superintendent of Education; President of the University of Hawaii; Director of Labor and Industrial Relations; and Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

Hawaii P-20; Longitudinal Data System