Bill Text: HI HR69 | 2015 | Regular Session | Amended


Bill Title: Department of Education; Status of Existing Retention of Teachers

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-03-30 - Report adopted. referred to the committee(s) on EDN/HED as amended in HD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) DeCoite, Lowen excused (2). [HR69 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2015-HR69-Amended.html

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.R. NO.

69

TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2015

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

 

REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE BUREAU, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT MANOA COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, TO PREPARE A STUDY THAT EXAMINES AND PROVIDES RECOMMENDATIONS ON IMPROVING THE RETENTION OF TEACHERS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

 

 


     WHEREAS, the systemic shortage of public school teachers within the Department of Education is exacerbated by multiple factors, including the limited pool of qualified applicants to recruit and the subsequent administrative challenge of retaining teachers once employed; and

 

     WHEREAS, the severity of this shortage is particularly evident in schools lacking modern facilities and the resources with which to offer new teachers a competitive salary and benefits; and

 

     WHEREAS, in 2010, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported that "more than half of Hawaii's public school teachers leave within five years of being hired"; and

 

     WHEREAS, the retention of highly qualified teachers in public schools is critical to achieving long-standing educational goals and academic standards set by the State; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-eighth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2015, that the Legislative Reference Bureau, in consultation with the Department of Education and University of Hawaii at Manoa College of Education, is requested to prepare a study that examines and provides recommendations on improving the retention of teachers within the Department of Education; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education is requested to provide the following information to the Legislative Reference Bureau by July 31, 2015:

 

     (1)  Cases and reports during the past ten years by teachers and administrators on specific factors that had encouraged or discouraged retention, including any correlation between the factors identified and years of service within the Department of Education; and

 

     (2)  Specific data on the average length of service within the Department of Education of teachers who graduated from University of Hawaii teacher preparation programs, teachers who graduated from other accredited teacher preparation programs within the State, and teachers who transferred into Hawaii from other states; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, based upon the information received from the Department of Education, the Legislative Reference Bureau is requested to:

 

     (1)  Analyze the factors that may be contributing to differing retention rates of teachers who graduated from University of Hawaii teacher preparation programs, teachers who graduated from other accredited teacher preparation programs within the State, and teachers who transferred into Hawaii from other states; and

 

     (2)  Make recommendations on administrative and legislative actions that may be taken to incentivize teachers to continue employment within the Department of Education, and any other proposed strategies designed to mitigate the systemic shortage of qualified teachers; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the University of Hawaii at Manoa College of Education and the Department of Education are requested to cooperate with the Legislative Reference Bureau and provide any information the Bureau may require to complete its report in the timeframe provided; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislative Reference Bureau is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2016; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Director of the Legislative Reference Bureau, Chairperson of the Board of Education, Superintendent of Education, President of the University of Hawaii, and Dean of the University of Hawaii at Manoa College of Education.

Report Title: 

Department of Education; Status of Existing Retention of Teachers

 

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