THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2567
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2010
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to education.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that Hawaii's education system would benefit from certain statewide standards and assessments regarding teaching materials, which would allow the State to be competitive for grants such as the federal Race to the Top Program.  The legislature also finds that setting standards and assessments for statewide curriculum may improve the State's ability to provide a quality education to students from military families who are transitioning to public schools in Hawaii.

     The purpose of this Act is to:

     (1)  Require department of education teaching materials to be consistent with the federal government's Race to the Top fund selection criteria for standards and assessments;

     (2)  Require standards-based curriculum teaching materials to be consistent with the federal government's Race to the Top fund selection criteria for standards and assessments, except upon the approval of a waiver by the department of education; and

     (3)  Require the department of education to initiate a collaborative effort with the Joint Venture Education Forum and the Department of Defense Education Activity toward the establishment of consistent curricula and assessments and methods of optimizing economies of scale in the purchase of teaching materials for military students who are transitioning to Hawaii schools.

     SECTION 2.  Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part II to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§302A‑   Teaching materials; standards and assessments. Except upon approval of a waiver submitted by a public school to the department, all teaching materials used by public schools shall meet the United States Department of Education's regulations determining selection criteria on standards and assessments for state applications for Race to the Top fund allocations under section 14001 of the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, as amended."

     SECTION 3.  Section 302A-321, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

     "(a)  When developing a standards-based curriculum and implementing it in a school or complex, at the minimum, the curriculum shall:

     (1)  Be specific in its standards-based scope and sequence over a school year for each grade level and course;

     (2)  Be consistent in course content;

     (3)  Be aligned across all grade levels;

     (4)  Specifically address the state content and performance standards and related benchmark maps; [and]

     (5)  Be implemented in all appropriate classrooms in the school or complex[.]; and

(6) Include the use of teaching materials that meet the United States Department of Education's regulations determining selection criteria on standards and assessments for state applications for Race to the Top fund allocations under section 14001 of the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, as amended."

     SECTION 4.  The department of education shall initiate a collaborative effort with the Joint Venture Education Forum and the Department of Defense Education Activity to make findings and recommendations, including recommended legislation, regarding the establishment of consistent curricula and assessments and methods of optimizing economies of scale in the purchase of textbooks and other teaching materials for military students who are transitioning to Hawaii schools.  The department of education shall submit to the legislature a report of the findings and recommendations, including recommended legislation, no later than twenty days prior to the start of the 2011 regular session.

     SECTION 5.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 6.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

DOE; Teaching Materials; Race to the Top Standards and Assessments; Transitioning Military Students

Description:

Requires the department of education (DOE) to use school-based curriculum to include teaching materials that are consistent with the federal government's Race to the Top fund selection criteria.  Requires the DOE to report to the legislature recommendations for the establishment of consistent curricula and assessments and methods of optimizing economies of scale in the purchase of teaching materials for military students who are transitioning to Hawaii schools.

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