THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2535
TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2012
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to instructional time.

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

     SECTION 1.  Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§302A-    Bell schedules. The department shall devise up to four standard bell schedules for each grade level.  A school shall have the discretion to implement one of the available bell schedules for each grade level.  This section shall not apply to charter schools or multi-track public schools."

     SECTION 2.  Section 302A-251, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended as follows:

     1.  By amending subsections (d) and (e) to read:

     "(d)  Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, [for the 2016-2018 school years,] beginning no later than the 2014-2015 school year, all public schools, excluding charter schools and multi-track public schools, shall [implement a school year of one hundred eighty days, excluding professional development days and other non-instructional days negotiated pursuant to chapter 89, that shall include one thousand eighty student instructional hours for both elementary and secondary school grades.] maintain standard instructional periods by implementing a bell schedule devised by the department under section 302A-    for each grade level.

     (e)  The board, in its discretion, may grant a waiver to any individual school subject to the student instructional hours, standard instructional periods, or one hundred eighty day school year requirements in this section.  The board shall adopt policies and procedures to grant a waiver under this subsection."

     2.  By amending subsection (g) to read:

     "(g)  The department of education, with the board of education and office of the governor, and in consultation with representatives of the affected collective bargaining units, shall submit to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular sessions of 2013, 2014, and 2015, [2016, 2017, and 2018,] a report on its progress and efforts to meet the requirements of subsections (a), (b), (c), and (d)."

     SECTION 3.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.
     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

Instructional Time; Bell Schedules

Description:

Requires the Department of Education to devise four bell schedules for each grade level to standardize instructional periods across all schools, with the exception of charter schools and multi-track public schools.  Requires each school to choose one of the available bell schedules for each grade level.

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