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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
810 |
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TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2011 |
S.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO EDUCATION.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. In 2010, the board of education considered a proposal to increase the rigor of the existing optional board of education recognition diploma. The revised diploma requirements would help ensure that a student has established a strong academic foundation for success in college and in the workplace. According to the board of education's proposal, conditions that led to the proposal include:
(1) The department of education's ten-year strategic plan goal that all students complete certain requirements to obtain a college and career readiness diploma and be prepared for life after high school;
(2) A memorandum of agreement among the governor, the department of education, and the University of Hawaii in 2009 to significantly improve student achievement in Hawaii by using American Recovery and Reinvestment Act resources to advance education reform; and
(3) An indication by the department of education in its Race to the Top proposal to the federal government in June 2010 that the board of education is scheduled to adopt a college and career readiness high school diploma for students entering high school in 2014.
Additionally, the legislature finds that the skills and abilities required of students for gainful employment and college entrance are increasing. According to the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, by 2018 sixty‑five per cent of Hawaii's jobs will require postsecondary education and training beyond high school. Despite these trends, Hawaii ranks forty-first in the nation in the percentage of recent high school graduates who attend college. Even among Hawaii's students who do go on to attend college, many are academically unprepared and require remediation.
Despite these compelling reasons, the board of education has yet to pass the proposal to offer the college and career readiness diploma. The legislature finds that Hawaii's public schools should encourage students and provide them with the opportunity to be better prepared for college and gainful employment.
The purpose of this Act is to require the department of education to establish high school diploma requirements that aim to establish college and career readiness.
SECTION 2. Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
"§302A‑ College and career readiness diploma. The department shall establish high school diploma requirements for each public school student for the completion of a rigorous high school academic program that aims to establish a strong academic foundation with the requisite knowledge and skills to prepare the student to:
(1) Enter postsecondary education or training programs, including degree or certification programs or an apprenticeship, without the need for remediation; and
(2) Obtain, retain, and succeed in a career that offers a living wage and opportunities for advancement."
SECTION 3. The department of education shall report to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2012 on the effectiveness of the high school diploma requirements established pursuant to section 302A‑ , Hawaii Revised Statutes, and any recommendations for amendments.
SECTION 4. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
Report Title:
College and Career Readiness; Diploma
Description:
Requires the department of education to establish high school diploma requirements that aim to establish college and career readiness. Requires the department of education to report to the legislature prior to the regular session of 2012. (SD1)
The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.