Report Title:

DOE; Quality Assurance Committees

 

Description:

Establishes quality assurance committees at various levels of the department of education to address policies impacting the delivery of services by state child serving agencies and provide opportunities for community input and feedback.  Includes representatives from other state agencies and private organizations.  Appropriates funds for staffing.

 


THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

1095

TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to education.

 

 

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

 


     SECTION 1.  Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§302A-    Interagency quality assurance committees.  (a)  There is established within the department the school level peer review committee.  The purpose of the school level peer review committee shall be to:

     (1)  Review the needs of individual children to determine whether services are meeting the child's needs;

     (2)  Determine what other resources are needed beyond the school;

     (3)  Resolve individual issues through problem solving at the school level; and

     (4)  Identify issues with the system and local data to the complex quality assurance committee for review and assistance.

     The school level peer review committee shall be composed of school level personnel from the department and care coordinators from family guidance centers.

     The school level peer review committee shall meet at least once each month to discuss issues as described in this subsection.  The school level peer review committee shall also prepare quarterly reports, including findings, recommendations, and proposed and instituted actions, for review by the complex quality assurance committee.

     (b)  There is established within the department the complex quality assurance committee.  The purpose of the complex quality assurance committee shall be to:

     (1)  Review and refine data from the school level peer review;

     (2)  Determine if problems can be resolved through district assistance or action;

     (3)  Implement corrective action and provide appropriate support to the schools;

     (4)  Refer refined data and system issues or problems requiring further assistance to the district quality assurance committee for consideration and action;

     (5)  Identify any policies that require refinement or amendment;

     (6)  Make recommendations to the district quality assurance committee for action;

     (7)  Distribute minutes to members and community members; and

     (8)  Hold forums to share data gathered, issues identified, and proposed actions for resolution and to receive community input.

     The complex quality assurance committee shall be composed of principals from local schools; supervisors of care coordinators in family guidance centers; parent partners and community children's council representatives; other interested parties with information regarding system issues associated with the complexes and the schools contained therein; and family guidance center quality assurance specialists.

     The complex quality assurance committee shall meet at least once each month to discuss issues as described in this subsection.  The complex quality assurance committee shall also prepare quarterly reports, including findings, recommendations, and proposed and instituted actions, for review by the district quality assurance committee.

     (c)  There is established within the department a district quality assurance committee.  The purpose of the district quality assurance committee shall be to:

     (1)  Review and refine data from the complex quality assurance committee;

     (2)  Determine any problems or issues that may be resolved at the complex level and execute a corrective plan of action;

     (3)  Determine data to be submitted to the state quality assurance committee;

     (4)  Identify system issues or problems requiring state action;

     (5)  Make recommendations to the state quality assurance committee; and

     (6)  Provide minutes, information to the community, and gather input from community members regarding system issues and proposed action.

     The district quality assurance committee shall be composed of complex area superintendents; district educational specialists; school psychologists; specialists from the community children's councils; the chief of the family guidance center; parents partners from Hawaii Families as Allies; the executive director of the Learning Disabilities Association of Hawaii; the executive director of the Mental Health Association of Hawaii; and other interested stakeholders with system issues to be addressed.

     The district quality assurance committee shall meet at least once each month to discuss issues as described in this subsection.  The district quality assurance committee shall also prepare quarterly reports, including findings, recommendations, and proposed and instituted actions, for review by the state quality assurance committee.

     (d)  There is established within the department the state quality assurance committee.  The purpose of the state quality assurance committee shall be to:

     (1)  Review data submitted by all member agencies;

     (2)  Identify system issues to be addressed;

     (3)  Review and refine policies from all state member agencies to ensure policies are not in conflict with service delivery;

     (4)  Recommend or propose changes in respective policies; and

     (5)  Disseminate minutes, recommendations, and proposed actions to the local communities.

     The state quality assurance committee shall be composed of a representative from the office of monitoring and accountability; the director of the school based behavioral health program; the director of student services and special education; a representative from early intervention services; a supervisor from the community children's council office; the chief of the child and adolescent mental health division; the director of zero to three; the chief of the developmental disabilities division; the chief of the alcohol and drug abuse division; the director of child welfare services; the director of the office of youth services; the directors of court programs that affect children and families; the directors of the family courts; the executive director of Learning Disabilities Alliance; the executive director of the Mental Health Association; and the executive director of Hawaii Families as Allies.

     The state quality assurance committee shall meet at least once each month to discuss issues as described in this subsection.  The state quality assurance committee shall also prepare annual reports, including findings, recommendations, and proposed and instituted actions, for review by the board.

     (e)  The members of each committee established under this section shall not receive compensation for their services but shall be reimbursed for expenses, including travel expenses, incurred in the performance of their duties under this Act.

     (f)  Members of each committee under this section shall be appointed by the superintendent.  The department shall establish rules and procedures for the qualifications of members, composition, length of terms, filling of vacancies, selection of chairpersons, and any other administrative requirements for the committees.  All meetings of the committees established under this section shall be exempt from chapter 92."

     SECTION 2.  The department of education shall report to the legislature at least twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2008 on the establishment of rules and procedures for the quality assurance committees created under this Act and the status of appointments and operations of each committee.

     SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $          , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2007-2008, and the same sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008-2009, for a 0.5 FTE program specialist V position (SR24), to coordinate the activities of the district and state committees on quality assurances.

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 4.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $          , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2007-2008, and the same sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008-2009, for a 0.5 FTE program specialist V position (SR24), to coordinate the activities of the district and state committees on quality assurances.

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of health for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval; provided that sections 3 and 4 shall take effect on July 1, 2007.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

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