Bill Text: HI SB745 | 2019 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating To Education.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-01-24 - Referred to EDU, WAM. [SB745 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2019-SB745-Introduced.html

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

745

THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2019

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

 

 

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

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that article X, section 1, of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii requires the State to provide a system of public education.  Compared to other states, Hawaii is unique because the State, rather than a county or local level jurisdiction, is responsible for public education.  As a result, funding for public education in Hawaii is primarily sourced from the general fund of the State.

     The legislature further finds that adequate funding is crucial to providing each of Hawaii's children with a high-quality educational opportunity.  Yet, some studies found that education funding in Hawaii may be lagging in comparison to districts of similar size and cost of living.  For example, according to an analysis of real property tax in Hawaii performed by the department of business, economic development, and tourism in 2017, Hawaii's education expenditures, as a share of combined state and local government expenditures, is 27.3 per cent and ranks as the lowest in the nation. 

     The legislature additionally finds that underfunding public schools could undermine the State's goal of providing a quality education to all of Hawaii's children.  Insufficient education funding results in higher class sizes, a lack of adequate classroom supplies, elimination of arts and career and technical education courses, budget cuts for special education and English language learner programs, and an increasing number of vacant teacher positions.  To prepare children to meet the social and economic demands of the twenty-first century, it is necessary to understand the amount of funding necessary to support student learning.

     The purpose of this Act is to require the department of education to contract with a third party consultant that specializes in school finance and has previous experience in conducting studies of public education systems in multiple states to perform a study on the adequacy of education funding in Hawaii.

     SECTION 2.  (a)  The department of education shall contract with a third party consultant that specializes in school finance to perform a study of the adequacy of education funding in Hawaii.  The third party consultant shall have previous experience conducting studies of education systems in multiple states.

     (b)  The study shall:

     (1)  Employ the evidence-based method with input from educational stakeholders and professionals to evaluate the adequacy of school funding;

     (2)  Identify variables most closely associated with a high-quality education and estimate the amount of additional funding needed to provide all public school students in Hawaii with an equal educational opportunity;

     (3)  Compare Hawaii teacher salaries with teacher salaries in school districts of similar size and cost of living to determine compensation characteristics that impact the department of education's ability to recruit and retain effective teachers;

     (4)  Assess the equity of funding between schools throughout the Hawaii public school system, such as with a horizontal equity study; and

     (5)  Review school funding studies and equity-based analyses performed in other states, including Using the Evidence-Based Method to Identify Adequate Spending Levels for Vermont Schools (2016) by Picus Odden and Associates, A Comprehensive Review of State Adequacy Studies Since 2003 (2014) by Anabel Aportela, Lawrence O. Picus, and Allan Odden, and Washington Adequacy Funding Study (2007) by the Education Policy Improvement Center.

     (c)  The department of education shall submit a copy of the study, along with 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 2021.

     SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $200,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2019-2020 for the department of education to contract with a third party consultant that specializes in school finance to perform a study of the adequacy of education funding in Hawaii.

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

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval; provided that section 3 shall take effect on July 1, 2019.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

 

 

 

 


 


 

Report Title:

Education; Adequacy Study; Appropriation

 

Description:

Requires the department of education to contract with a firm that specializes in school finance to study the adequacy of education in Hawaii.  Appropriates moneys for the study.

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.

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