THE SENATE

S.C.R. NO.

76

TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2011

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

urging SUPPORT OF state FUNDING for NA PUA NOEAU STAFFING AND PROGRAMS.

 

 


     WHEREAS, Na Pua Noeau Center for Gifted and Talented Native Hawaiian Children was established in 1989 at the University of Hawaii at Hilo for the purpose of increasing educational enrichment opportunities for Hawaiian children in grades K-12 throughout the State of Hawaii; and

 

     WHEREAS, between 1993 and 2001, Na Pua Noeau, through funding by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, opened additional centers to include the following sites:  University of Hawaii at Manoa, Kauai Community College, Maui Community College, Molokai Education Center, Lanai High and Elementary School, and the University of Hawaii Center – West Hawaii; and

 

     WHEREAS, Na Pua Noeau has served over 12,000 Hawaiian students over the past twenty years as reflected in the Center's database; and

 

     WHEREAS, Na Pua Noeau provides Hawaiian students in grades K-12 a seamless transition from high school to college; and

 

     WHEREAS, Na Pua Noeau alumni represent over eleven percent of the Hawaiian students enrolled at University of Hawaii campuses; and

 

     WHEREAS, graduates from the program are represented in occupations that include medicine, law, education, government, politics, and community leadership, many of whom attribute their success to their experiences through Nā Pua Noeau; and

 

     WHEREAS, while the teaching and learning design of Na Pua Noeau creates a greater capacity of Hawaiian students to access and succeed in higher education, it also preserves, sustains, and mobilizes Hawaiian knowledge and practices; and

 

     WHEREAS, Na Pua Noeau creates optimal learning conditions for Native Hawaiian students in grades K-12 for higher achievement and aspirations; and

 

     WHEREAS, these optimal learning conditions are designed in the context of Hawaiian history, language, culture, values, and perspective; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Na Pua Noeau Center for Gifted and Talented Native Hawaiian Children has staff and offices at University of Hawaii campuses throughout the State, and is able to reach out to all of the Hawaiian communities; and

 

WHEREAS, in twenty years, Na Pua Noeau has developed research studies that ascertain the effectiveness of its practices and the longitudinal tracking of the student participants; and

 

WHEREAS, the current data show that Hawaiian students who participate in Na Pua Noeau programs have a better chance of staying in and graduating from the University of Hawaii; and

 

WHEREAS, because Na Pua Noeau is dependent on external and temporary funding, the Center's ability to conduct programs for Hawaiian students fluctuates from year to year; and

 

WHEREAS, the funding requested in the University of Hawaii System's biennium budget for Na Pua Noeau would allow the Center to serve 4,000 K-12 Hawaiian students annually; and

 

WHEREAS, state funding requested would expand the Na Pua Noeau staff and offices on all of the University of Hawaii campuses, thus broadening and increasing the sustainability of the K-12 program offerings to Hawaiian students, families, and their communities; and

 

WHEREAS, with the receipt of these requested funds, Na Pua Noeau will have greater capacity to sustain education and career pathways for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), health related professions, and leadership opportunities, which will result in a greater representation of Hawaiians in professional careers; and

 

WHEREAS, state funding for Na Pua Noeau has the strong support of the University of Hawaii System Pukoa Council of Native Hawaiian faculty and staff; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-sixth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2011, the House of Representatives concurring, that support is urged for state funding of Na Pua Noeau staffing and programs in the University of Hawaii System biennium budget; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the President of the University of Hawaii System, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and Na Pua Noeau.

 

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

 

 

Report Title: 

Na Pua Noeau; Support for Funding; UH Budget