HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

65

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

REQUESTING the establishment of a task force on asia-pacific education to ensure that hawaii's students meet high performance standards in education about asia and the pacific and understand the impact of the state's relationship with the region.

 

 

WHEREAS, Hawaii, as an island state located in close proximity to Asia and the Pacific islands, is already tightly linked to Asia and the Pacific in many ways -- from military, diplomatic, security, business, social, educational, and cultural interests -- and is ideally situated to serve as the crossroads of the Asia-Pacific region; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii's trade with the Asia-Pacific region accounts for over eighty-five per cent of its total export worldwide, and the continued growth of Hawaii's economy will depend, in large part, on increased exports from Hawaii to the region, continued Asian investments in Hawaii, and enhanced Asia-Pacific tourism to Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, to maintain an Asia Pacific leadership position in the region requires that Hawaii must maintain a strong base of expertise on the nations of Asia and the Pacific, including linguistic skills; and

WHEREAS, to maintain Hawaii's competitive edge over other states in the United States, vis-a-vis the Asia-Pacific region, Hawaii residents must have the knowledge and skills to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the region; and

WHEREAS, research indicates that the United States as a whole fails to graduate enough students with expertise in Asian Pacific languages, cultures, and policies to fill the current demands of business, government, and education; and

WHEREAS, according to a June 2001 report by the National Commission on Asia in the Schools led by then Governors James B. Hunt, Jr., of North Carolina and John Engler of Michigan, more than nine in ten American adults believe that Asia-related education is vital for American students and seven in ten students agree that learning about Asia will prepare them for life and work in the twenty-first century; and

WHEREAS, in the same report, both American adults and students identified teachers and schools as their principal sources of information about the Asia-Pacific region; at the same time, the Commission found that less than five per cent of our teachers have adequate background to teach about the region effectively; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii should take better advantage of its geographic proximity, as well as its historical and cultural connections to the Asia-Pacific region, to impart effective Asia and Pacific-related competence to Hawaii's students as an integral part of their education at all levels; and

WHEREAS, research further indicates that Asia-Pacific-related education is also lacking in Hawaii's schools; and

WHEREAS, during the past fourteen years, the East-West Center's Consortium for Teaching Asia and the Pacific in the Schools, now renamed AsiaPacificEd Program for Schools, has worked in close cooperation with the state Department of Education to provide professional development support on the Asia-Pacific region to more than nine thousand K-12 educators throughout the State; and

WHEREAS, furthermore, in the report by the blue ribbon Commission, the Consortium received national recognition when it was selected as one of fourteen "best practice" models nationwide to promote teaching and learning about Asia and the Pacific in K-12 schools; and

WHEREAS, engendering effective Asia-Pacific education for Hawaii's students will ensure that Hawaii residents have the knowledge and skills to prepare them for success in our increasingly interconnected world in which the Asia-Pacific region plays a dominant role; and

WHEREAS, Asia-Pacific-related knowledge and expertise are also valuable in promoting international security as well as mutual understanding and cooperation between the United States and the Asia-Pacific region; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-Second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2004, the Senate concurring, that a task force on Asia-Pacific education be established to ensure that Hawaii's students meet high performance standards in education about Asia and the Pacific and understand the impact of the State's relationship with the region; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate are requested to each appoint one member from their respective chambers to coordinate the task force on Asia-Pacific education; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force consist of representatives from, among others, the following organizations:

(1) East-West Center;

(2) University of Hawaii; and

(3) Department of Education;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to study:

(1) Current efforts to help Hawaii's students learn about Asia and the Pacific region;

(2) The State's Asia-Pacific resources; and

(3) How these resources can be used to further education; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to develop a strategic plan for:

(1) Aligning Asia-Pacific education with Hawaii's content and performance standards;

(2) Encouraging all schools in Hawaii to incorporate studies of Asia and the Pacific as a regular and integral part of their core curriculum; and

(3) Establishing criteria for monitoring progress of this strategic plan; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education is requested to house and provide staff support to the task force; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to report its findings and recommendations and strategic plan, including any necessary proposed legislation, to the Legislature at least twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2005; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the President of the East-West Center, President of the University of Hawaii, and the Superintendent of Education.

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Task force on Asia-Pacific Education