2008 Education Bills Passed by the Legislature

This bill will do the following:

Establishes the "Facilities Alignment Commission" which will determine what criteria will be used to consolidate public schools
The Commission will also recommend which public schools it finds could be closed or consolidated.
Requires the Board of Education to comply with the findings of the commission

This bill will do the following:

Changes the nomination process for the Hawaii Teachers Standards Board ensuring professional organizations submit names to the governor for approval
Authorizes the HTSB to coordinate a data sharing system between teacher organizations and the Department of Education in order to improve teacher quality
Expands the amount of information the HTSB provides in its annual report to the governor and legislature

This bill will do the following:

Establish a power of attorney for special education
Establishes the process of appointing a education representative for adult students who lack the capacity to be their own guardian
Clarifies what authority said representative will have over the student

This bill will do the following:

Appropriate money for public school teachers to attend trainings and classes in order to receive highly qualified ratings under No Child Left Behind
Allows teachers with over 10 years experience to receive 10 years work credit when determining their status at a hard-to-fill school
Appropriates funds for Professional Development Schools
Establishes a Teacher Housing Allowance program
Funds the Hawaii Teacher Cadet Program to recruit new teachers
Funds the Hawaii Beginning Teacher Induction Pilot Program

This bill will do the following:

Requires the BOE to provide wage adjustments for substitute teachers comparable to the across the board wage adjustments negotiated for teachers in the last collective bargaining agreement
Allows BOE to adjust hours, benefits, terms, and other conditions of employment for substitute teachers

This bill will do the following:

Establishes an early learning system for the State of Hawaii
Creates the Early Learning Council to develop and administer the early learning system
The early learning system will be known as Keiki First Steps
Establishes the Keiki First Steps Grant program
Promotes the development of early learning facilities

This bill will do the following:

Requires at least 12 BOR members to reside in the geographical area they represent
Requires the governor to inform the council of vacancies in a timely manner
Requires the council to submit names of candidates no later than sixty days after the vacancy
Makes all information needed by the council about BOR candidates confidential

This bill will do the following:

Increases sources of revenue to support the Cancer Research Center at UH-Manoa
Allows money in Cancer Research Special Fund to be spent on capital expenditures