Report Title:

Hawaii Teacher Standards Board

 

Description:

Authorizes the Hawaii teacher standards board to suspend its policies, rules, and standards when required by extenuating circumstances.  Authorizes the board to determine how it collects license fees.

 


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

183

TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT


 

 

relating to education.

 

 

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

 


     SECTION 1.  In 2001, the legislature transferred responsibility for licensing teachers from the department of education to the Hawaii teacher standards board.  The transfer was based on recommendations from the Hawaii Policy Group of the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future, a national organization with twenty-three partner states, including Hawaii.  By authorizing the board to assume responsibility for teacher licensing, the legislature sought to strengthen the teaching profession by making the board self-governing and accountable for teachers who obtain and maintain licenses in Hawaii.  Like its professional counterparts, such as the board of medical examiners for doctors, the Hawaii teacher standards board was authorized to issue, renew, revoke, suspend, and reinstate licenses for individuals desiring to teach in our State.

During its first six years of operation, the board discovered that its statutory powers and duties needed clarification.  Specifically, the board's power to suspend its policies, rules, and standards needed to be clarified.  These clarifications were accomplished in 2007, when the legislature enacted Act 263, Session Laws of Hawaii 2007.  The enactment of Act 263 inadvertently removed the board's power to adopt, amend, repeal, or suspend its policies and standards.  One of the purposes of this Act is to return those powers to the board.

     The Act also amends statutory provisions related to the collection of license fees.  This Act enables the board to determine how it collects license fees to ensure the timely receipt of the fees and to amend certain fees and set or amend other charges, in accordance with chapter 92.

     SECTION 2.  Section 302A-803, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

     "(a)  In addition to establishing standards for the issuance and renewal of licenses and any other powers and duties authorized by law, the board's powers shall also include:

     (1)  Setting and administering its own budget;

     (2)  Adopting, amending, or repealing the rules of the board in accordance with chapter 91;

     (3)  Receiving grants or donations from private foundations, and state and federal funds;

     (4)  Submitting an annual report to the governor and the legislature on the board's operations and from the 2007-2008 school year, submitting a summary report every five years of the board's accomplishment of objectives, efforts to improve or maintain teacher quality, and efforts to keep its operations responsive and efficient;

     (5)  Conducting a cyclical review of standards and suggesting revisions for their improvement;

     (6)  Establishing licensing fees in accordance with chapter 91[, including the collection of fees by means of mandatory payroll deductions, which shall] and determining the manner by which fees are collected and subsequently [be] deposited into the state treasury and credited to the Hawaii teacher standards board special fund;

     (7)  Establishing penalties in accordance with chapter 91;

     (8)  Issuing, renewing, revoking, suspending, and reinstating licenses;

     (9)  Reviewing reports from the department on individuals hired on an emergency basis;

    (10)  Applying licensing standards on a case-by-case basis and conducting licensing evaluations;

    (11)  Preparing and disseminating teacher licensing information to schools and operational personnel;

    (12)  Approving teacher preparation programs;

    (13)  Administering reciprocity agreements with other states relative to licensing;

    (14)  Conducting research and development on teacher licensure systems, beginning teacher programs, the assessment of teaching skills, and other related topics;

    (15)  Participating in efforts relating to teacher quality issues, conducting professional development related to the board's standards, and promotion of high teacher standards and accomplished teaching; [and]

    (16)  Adopting applicable rules and procedures[.] and

    (17)  Adopting, amending, repealing, or suspending the policies and standards of the board."

     SECTION 3.  Act 263, Session Laws of Hawaii 2007, is amended by amending section 4 to read as follows:

     "SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2007[; provided that on July 1, 2009, section 2 of this Act shall be repealed and section 302A-803, Hawaii Revised Statutes, shall be reenacted in the form in which it read on June 30, 2007.].

     SECTION 4.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on June 30, 2009.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

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