THE SENATE

S.R. NO.

84

THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2020

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

SENATE RESOLUTION

 

 

URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO ASSIGN STUDENTS RESIDING IN HONOKAI HALE AND KO OLINA TO ATTEND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL COMPLEX WITHIN THEIR GEOGRAPHIC AREA, THE NANAKULI COMPLEX.

 

 

     WHEREAS, research demonstrates that overcrowding in schools negatively affects student achievement levels, stress levels, attendance, and concentration; and

 

WHEREAS, overcrowding also has a detrimental effect on teacher morale and their available time to adequately plan and deliver lectures; and

 

     WHEREAS, multi-tracking is an approach used to address school overcrowding by dividing students and faculty into multiple groups who attend school year-round on alternating schedules; and

 

     WHEREAS, students in multi-tracked schools have tested an average of two percent lower than students in traditional schools on national reading, math, and language assessments; and

 

     WHEREAS, studies have shown that multi-tracking is more expensive over the long term, can harm community and family cohesion, and can lead to increased stress and burnout for students, teachers, and parents; and

 

     WHEREAS, multi-tracking is currently used in the Kapolei Complex school system, where overcrowding is a longstanding problem; and

 

     WHEREAS, overcrowding in Kapolei area schools is attributable, at least in part, to the Department of Education's assignment of students to the Kapolei Complex from Honokai Hale and Ko Olina; and

 

WHEREAS, reassigning these students to the Nanakuli Complex would help even the distribution of students among the Leeward District complexes and would ease overcrowding in the Kapolei Complex without the need to multi-track; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirtieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2020, that the Department of Education is strongly urged to assign students residing in Honokai Hale and Ko Olina to attend the public school complex within their geographic area, the Nanakuli Complex, starting with the 2020-2021 academic year; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Education, Superintendent of Education, and principals of all schools in the Kapolei Complex and Nanakuli Complex school systems.

 

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

 

 

Report Title: 

Department of Education; Leeward District; School Overcrowding