Senator Sakamoto's 2007 Education Priorities

April 9, 2007

CONTINUING TO "REINVENT EDUCATION" – Senator Sakamoto advocates greater efficiency and effectiveness in Hawaii's public school system through (1) increasing support directly to our schools, (2) providing better technology infrastructure for tracking student performance and resource management, and (3) providing business managers for each school complex.  It is hoped that these components will be included in the budget bill (HB 500).  He also wants to improve early childhood education in Hawaii through better access to early childhood programs, more teachers trained in early childhood education, and strengthening the junior kindergarten program (SB 613).  The Charter School Review Panel bill (SB 603) would bring clarity to the running of the charter schools, enabling them to offer alternative and innovative choices in the public school system. 

FIXING OUR SCHOOLS – Well built classrooms are essential for our children to do well in school.  Reducing the repair and maintenance backlog has been a top priority for Senator Sakamoto.  It is hoped that the Legislature will designate $165 million to further reduce the backlog (SB 1932). 

HELPING OUR TEACHERS – To deal with the teacher shortage problem, Senator Sakamoto supports the University of Hawaii Teacher Education bill (HB 1014), the Educator Loan bill (HB 777), and out-of-state teacher license reciprocity bill (HB 25).  Senator Sakamoto also seeks to support educational assistants through a career ladder program which would provide professional training and salary supplements (SB 686). 

STRENGTHENING OUR ECONOMY – For Hawaii to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving global economy, our students need both basic and specialized skills.  Senator Sakamoto supports the Workforce Development bill (SB 1931), Running Start for College Preparation (HB 767), STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Academies (HB 1268), and the Agriculture and Culinary Arts bill (SB 885). 

STRENGTHENING THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII – To depoliticize the selection of candidates for the University of Hawaii's Board of Regents, Senator Sakamoto introduced SB 14, which would establish a candidate advisory council that would screen and propose candidates to serve on the Board of Regents.  Senator Sakamoto supports the construction of the West Oahu College campus in Kapolei and the creation of a West Oahu teacher education program (SB 616).  In order for Hawaii to have a more diverse and sustainable economy, Senator Sakamoto supports the Academy for Creative Media (SB 1922), the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute (HB 1003), and the Nursing Workforce Development (SB 91).