Bill Text: HI HCR8 | 2021 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Urging The Board Of Education And Department Of Education To Elevate Hawaiian Language And Cultural Education In Public High Schools By Expanding Access To Hawaiian Language And Cultural Classes That Fulfill Core Requirements Throughout Secondary Education.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2021-04-01 - Referred to EDU. [HCR8 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2021-HCR8-Amended.html

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	8
THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2021		H.D. 2
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

URGING THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO ELEVATE HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL EDUCATION IN PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS BY EXPANDING ACCESS TO HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL CLASSES THAT FULFILL CORE REQUIREMENTS THROUGHOUT SECONDARY EDUCATION.

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, article X, section 1, of the Hawaii State Constitution provides for the establishment of a statewide system of public schools; and

 

     WHEREAS, article X, section 4, of the Hawaii State Constitution requires that the "State shall promote the study of Hawaiian culture, history, and language" and "provide for a Hawaiian education program consisting of language, culture, and history in the public schools"; and

 

     WHEREAS, article XV, section 4, of the Hawaii State Constitution recognizes Hawaiian as an official language of the State; and

 

     WHEREAS, in 2019, the Hawaii Supreme Court held in Clarabal v. Dep't of Educ., 145 Hawaii 69 (2019), that the framers of the Hawaii State Constitution intended article X, section 4, to require the State to "provide a Hawaiian education program in public schools that is reasonably calculated to revive and preserve ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i"; and

 

     WHEREAS, Chief Justice Recktenwald noted in his concurring opinion in the Clarabal case that, "the framers emphasized the importance of reviving ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i through the public education system, in order to ensure that all children of the State of Hawai‘i have exposure to Hawaiian language, culture and history"; and

WHEREAS, native Hawaiian students represent the single largest ethnic group in the State's public schools, at twenty‑six percent of the student population, and deserve a curriculum that is attentive to the perpetuation of their culture and identity; and

 

     WHEREAS, Hawaiian education benefits students of all ethnic backgrounds by contributing to an understanding and appreciation of Hawaii's unique cultural and historical context; and

 

     WHEREAS, Hawaiian education perpetuates the skills, knowledge, values, and practices of the native people of Hawaii and offers innovative and place-based responses to the demands of a rapidly changing world; and

 

     WHEREAS, embracing an educational philosophy that honors and promotes a native Hawaiian perspective can foster multilingualism, multiculturalism, educational experience, and whole-child development; and

 

     WHEREAS, the 0.5 credit Modern Hawaiian History class is currently the only core curriculum requirement at the high school level dedicated to addressing article X, section 4, of the Hawaii State Constitution; and

 

WHEREAS, the 1997 Hawaii State Legislature mandated the establishment of a Hawaiian language college on the University of Hawaii campus to “...serve as a focal point for the State’s efforts to revitalize the Hawaiian language...”; and

 

WHEREAS, within the limitations imposed upon it by its mandated resource base and structure, the Hawaiian language college has a strong record of innovation and leadership in Hawaiian language and culture education which has drawn national attention and which has provided considerable support to State Hawaiian education efforts in Department of Education and Charter schools; and

 

     WHEREAS, high school student participants in the Twenty‑Seventh Annual Children and Youth Summit identified the elevation of diverse Hawaiian education courses in public schools as a priority for young people in Hawaii; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2021, the Senate concurring, that the Board of Education and Department of Education are urged to elevate Hawaiian language and cultural education in public high schools by expanding access to Hawaiian language and cultural classes that fulfill core requirements throughout secondary education; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education's Office of Hawaiian Education is requested to identify public school teachers who have received or would like to receive training in Hawaiian language and culture to increase access to Hawaiian content in secondary schools; and

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Education work in partnership with the administration of the Hawaiian language college to identify existing resources for Hawaiian language and culture education for students in public and charter schools and to integrate these resources into its teacher training for said identified public school teachers; and

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Education and Hawaiian language college submit their findings in the form of a report to the 2022 legislature one week before opening of the 2022 session; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Chairperson of the Board of Education, Chancellor of the University of Hawaii at Hilo, and Superintendent of Education.

 

Report Title:  

Hawaiian Education; Cultural Education; Department of Education; High School Students; Core Curriculum