Report Title:

School Report Cards

Description:

Creates a school report card program to facilitate the transmission of information indicative of school performance to the public.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

212

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

 

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 public, as well as the parents of children enrolled in public schools, are entitled to know how well a school is succeeding. Thus, the information most indicative of a school's effectiveness should be disseminated annually to the public in a form that is easily accessible and understandable by all.

The flow of information about them represents an opportunity for public schools. Many polls of public attitudes toward public schools clearly demonstrate that the closer an individual is to a school (i.e., the more knowledge the individual has of a school), the more likely it is that the individual will be positively disposed toward the school. A positive disposition translates into many desired outcomes such as increased participation and involvement and support by parents and the general public alike.

The purpose of this Act is to create a school report card program within the department of education. The report cards will include statistics and information indicative of the effectiveness of a public school and will be disseminated to the public on an annual basis.

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

"PART    . SCHOOL REPORT CARDS

§302A-   School report card program. There is established within the department of education a program for the compilation of data to be published and disseminated as annual report cards for each public school.

§302A-   Data. (a) The department of education shall collect and compile information on the following items for each public school:

(1) School dropouts, by grade;

(2) In-grade retentions;

(3) The number and percentage of children failing courses and number of courses failed;

(4) Absences from school;

(5) Number of suspensions and expulsions;

(6) Number of children classified as handicapped, and type of classification;

(7) Number of children successfully completing high school within four years of entering ninth grade;

(8) Number of high school graduates entering college;

(9) Teacher retention rates;

(10) School enrollment;

(11) Number of teachers; and

(12) Number of other professional personnel, including but not limited to deans, principals, vice-principals, truancy officers, librarians, and counselors.

For each of the enumerated items above, as applicable, the information shall be presented in an aggregate report by number and percentages. Each item shall also be reported in a dis-aggregated form by ethnic group.

§302A-   Distribution. The aggregated report shall be presented in a simple and readable fashion and shall be disseminated annually to every family whose child attends the school. The aggregated report shall also be made accessible in hard copy to the general public and shall be made available in electronic form.

§302A-   Rules. The department of education shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 as necessary for the purposes of this part."

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

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