Report Title:

Parent-Community Networking Center System

 

Description:

Makes an appropriation to the department of education for PCNC.

 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1267

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

 

 

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

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that overwhelming research evidence indicates a critical need for an integrated, comprehensive system of family support, parent education, teacher-parent partnerships, and volunteer and resource development at the school, classroom, and family levels.

The parent-community networking center (PCNC) is a system of support for the community of students, parents, and teachers. The PCNC system, staffed by a part-time facilitator at each school, provides opportunities for relating to one another and to heighten awareness of another person's strengths and needs. Community members learn from and support each other, creating an overall sense of school and community 'ohana that is especially conducive to learning.

The development of the PCNC system consists of four phases. Phases I and II are have been established at 164 schools with appropriations of $14,500 per school. Evaluative reports of phases I and II indicate positive outcomes, including improved school-community relations, positive attitude changes among teachers and parents, and increased involvement of parents in the education of their children.

Phases III and IV, presently developed as a pilot project, focus on strengthening each classroom unit as a learning community to enable teachers and parents to meaningfully partner to ensure the students' well-being and achievement of performance standards. In phases III and IV, teacher-parent relationships are forged at the classroom level with the presence of the teacher and a volunteer classroom parent. The pilot of phases III and IV at Kapunahala School, in Kaneohe, has resulted in higher student achievement in each of the past three years, as indicated by a three-year longitudinal report of scholastic achievement test scores. More schools are ready to move into phases III and IV.

The legislature finds that the PCNC system has generated four times the amount of resources and services that are spent on the program, making it the most cost effective program in the department of education. The legislature further finds that funding for phases I and II is uneven across the State. In many schools, funding is minimal or altogether absent.

The legislature further finds that minimum funding in each school of $14,500 is needed for a part-time, school-based facilitator, equipment, telephone, and supplies.

The purpose of this Act is to provide funding for the continuation and expansion of the PCNC system within the department of education.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $1,490,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2003-2004, for the parent-community networking centers, in the following priority:

(1) $250,000 for the continuation of new parent-community networking centers, for one more year;

(2) $45,000 to establish a twelve month family support-PCNC resource teacher position for program and staff development, with priority given to secondary schools;

(3) $350,000 for additional funding for 32 schools to bring them to the level of $14,500 minimum funding;

(4) $551,000 to initiate a parent-community networking center at $14,500 for each of 38 schools, not including Niihau School and Keanae School (because of their size of six students each), in addition to the unfunded schools in item (1);

(5) $122,000 to fund phases III and IV in 10 additional elementary schools, at $12,200 each;

(6) $122,000 to fund phases III and IV in 10 intermediate and middle schools, at $12,500 each; and

(7) $50,000 for program research and development, including:

(A) Parent curriculum development;

(B) Standards for parents as partners in education;

(C) Evaluation tools;

(D) Data collection; and

(E) Analysis of data to evaluate program effectiveness and student achievement.

SECTION 3. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2003.

INTRODUCED BY:

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