Report Title:

Peace Education Demonstration Project

Description:

Establishes and appropriates funds for a five-year Peace Education Demonstration Project to examine school-based peace education programs, determine their effectiveness, and disseminate best-practice information to preschools and public schools from grades kindergarten through twelve.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2794

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

Relating to peace education programs.

 

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

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that Hawaii has the lowest levels of school violence of any state in the United States. Consequently, other states across the nation are now viewing Hawaii's schools as a model to determine whether successes here can be replicated. However, while the State is fortunate to have this distinction, violence in Hawaii schools is increasing. Hawaii is at-risk of succumbing to the trends seen in other states in which children fear going to school. Relations between people in Hawaii have often been uniquely peaceful, but are in jeopardy of diminishing before the mechanisms at work are clearly documented in order to be preserved and extended throughout Hawaii's schools.

The increase in violence in public schools has been linked to many lingering social problems, including poverty, under-employment, unemployment, high housing costs, dense living conditions, use of crystal methamphetamine and other drugs and alcohol, proliferation of weapons, racial stereotypes, decreases in parenting quality and the time parents spend with children, eroding social and cultural links and institutions, media violence, and other conditions. Children who are victimized at school become fearful, agitated, have difficulty concentrating and learning, and are more likely to fail or drop out of school. Some require extensive physical and psychological services at high cost to the State. Schools have the ability to intervene to protect and promote peace among children.

Hawaii's international reputation for peace and tranquility attract military and other families to live here. Hawaii's peaceful reputation should not be taken for granted, and school safety should be preserved. As violent crimes increase in schools, they spill over into communities, decreasing the sense of security among visitors and residents. Substantial investment is needed to regain the degree of peace that has been lost.

The University of Hawaii college of education (College) has served as a national resource on evaluating peace education programs, determining which are most effective, and disseminating that information nationwide. The White House, United States Department of Justice, Department of Education, and Department of Defense have all called upon the faculty of the College for guidance, research, and development in this area. The research has focused on what works nationwide and internationally. Unfortunately, the College has not been funded to examine local programs for effectiveness and for possible dissemination of strategies throughout the public schools. As a result, schools promote peace in an unfocused manner using mainland curricula and methods in a force-fit approach, when the best solutions can be found locally, but have received little attention.

The purpose of this Act is to establish and appropriate funds for a peace education demonstration project to:

(1) Examine school-based peace education programs in Hawaii;

(2) Determine which programs are most effective; and

(3) Disseminate the effective techniques to Hawaii's preschools and public schools grades kindergarten through twelve.

SECTION 2. (a) There shall be established a five-year peace education demonstration project to be implemented by the University of Hawaii college of education, in collaboration with the department of education.

(b) The project shall:

(1) Examine school-based peace education programs in Hawaii;

(2) Determine which programs are most effective; and

(3) Disseminate the most effective techniques to preschools and public schools grades kindergarten through twelve.

(c) The project shall be conducted along the following guidelines:

(1) The first year shall include a review of literature and school-based programs;

(2) The second year shall include partnering with schools that have successful programs for formative evaluation, and examining and refining the process of evaluation methods;

(3) The third and fourth years shall include a cross-site evaluation of programs in six to nine participating schools; and

(4) The fifth year shall include evaluation and dissemination of best-practice information to all public schools and training program facilitators.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $850,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2004-2005 to implement the peace education demonstration project.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the University of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval; provided that section 3 shall take effect on July 1, 2004.

INTRODUCED BY:

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