Bill Text: HI HB2007 | 2012 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Instructional Time; Bell Schedules

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2012-03-21 - (S) Report adopted; Passed Second Reading and referred to WAM. [HB2007 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2012-HB2007-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2876

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 2007

       H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2007, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INSTRUCTIONAL TIME,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Require the Department of Education to devise up to four standard bell schedules for elementary, middle, and high schools and require individual schools to implement one of the available schedules beginning no later than the 2014-2015 school year;

 

     (2)  Clarify the definition of "student instructional hours"; and

 

     (3)  Repeal the requirement that for the 2016-2018 school years, all public schools except charter schools and multi-track public schools implement a school year of 180 days that include 1,080 student instructional hours.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education; Hui for Excellence in Education; IMUAlliance; Scholastic Scheduling Solutions; Keagan Sakai-Kawada, a student at Waiakea High School; Kaelyn Okuhata, a student at King Kekaulike High School; Marikka Zavas, a student at Kalaheo High School; and Melia Steele, a student at Moanalua High School.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawai‘i Educational Policy Center; Hawaii State Teachers Association; Zachary Fielding, a student at Moanalua High School; Gabrielle Mason, a student at American Renaissance Academy; Jannah Lyn Dela Cruz, a student at Moanalua High; Hunter Bruno, a student at American Renaissance Academy; Jessel Dela Cruz, a student at Moanalua High School; Kelly Ruan, a student at Moanalua High School; and two individuals. 

 

     Your Committee finds that there are a number of individual bell schedules that schools have developed and implemented, and while this empowers decision making at the school community level, it has made establishing a base level of instructional time for all students difficult.  This measure will allow for equitable instructional time across all schools while providing each school with a certain amount of flexibility and continuing the discussion of how to best quantify instructional time and increase student access to opportunities where learning takes place.

 

     Your Committee further finds that this measure also clarifies what constitutes instructional time for students and recognizes that not all learning takes place in a classroom setting alone.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2007, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,

 

		____________________________ JILL TOKUDA, Chair