Report Title:

Hawaii Teacher Standards Board; Appropriation

Description:

Appropriates funding for the Hawaii teacher standards board.

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2070

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

Making an appropriation for the Hawaii teacher standards board.

 

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

SECTION 1. The National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future, a national organization with twenty partner states, including Hawaii, is focused on improving student learning by ensuring that there is a caring, competent, and qualified teacher in every classroom.

The Hawaii policy group of the National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future, composed of a representative group of educational stakeholders, completed an inventory of state policies relating to teacher quality and, based on this inventory, made recommendations for improving teaching in Hawaii. The recommendations encompassed five key areas:

(1) Establishing and implementing standards for students

and teachers;

(2) Teacher preparation and professional development;

(3) Teacher recruitment and placing qualified teachers in all classrooms;

(4) Encouraging and rewarding teaching knowledge and skill; and

(5) Creating schools that are organized for student and

teacher success.

One thing was clear: aside from home and societal factors, teacher quality is the single most influential factor in student achievement. Standards-based reform has a greater chance of success when teacher quality is addressed and given our highest priority. We must equip our teachers with the resources and skills necessary to ensure that all students attain their full potential.

This Act continues the legislature’s commitment to the work of the Hawaii policy group of the National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future and the Hawaii teacher standards board. Act 312, Session Laws of Hawaii 2001, assigned to the Hawaii teacher standards board a number of duties and responsibilities related to teacher licensing and teacher quality. For this reason, the legislature is committed to supporting the Hawaii teacher standards board by appropriating funds to the board to carry out its newly assigned responsibilities.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $347,228, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2004-2005, to conduct the functions of the Hawaii teacher standards board, including the hiring of permanent staff.

SECTION 3. The department of education, the department of human resource development, and the department of budget and finance shall facilitate the filling of positions for purposes of this Act.

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, 2004.

INTRODUCED BY:

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