A House and Senate conference committee this week approved a number of education-related bills in the House and Senate, including a statewide registry to document and share misconduct by all school employees, along with other bills that would ease teacher qualifications. The plan is to submit it to the plenary session for final approval. Get licensed in Hawaii and provide more funding for immersion education in Hawaii.
But a student-sponsored House bill to encourage local food consumption in public schools stalled.
House Bill 2083 would have required the state Department of Education to incentivize schools to develop plans to achieve a goal of 30% school meals from farms by 2030.
The bill would also require the Department of Energy to begin a plant-based meal pilot program at Mililani High School by the 2025-2026 school year.
HB 2083 was considered in three conference committees Friday before being adjourned.
“I don't think there's a consensus on this bill,” said state Rep. Cedric Gates (D-Wai'anae-Makaha), one of the House participants, during the bill's previous hearing. He said: “I think I'll have to try again next year, so I'm postponing this indefinitely.”
Mililani High School teacher Bonnie Parker provided written testimony on behalf of students in Mililani High School's Sustainable Food Systems and Agriculture class, and Mililani High School senior Choney Joines provided on-campus testimony. He said less than 2% to 6% of the food consumed comes from local sources.
In his testimony, Joines said HB 2083 would create a “great cycle and system for high schools.”
Another student, Camila Isla, believes it would be beneficial for Mililani High School students to have access to fresh produce for lunch.
“Not only will it encourage healthier eating habits among our students, but it will also promote business for local farms here in Hawaii,” Ira wrote.
Another student with an allergy to red meat supported the plant-based diet bill.
Talia Benson wrote, “On days when the main dish at school was red meat, I really appreciated having alternative meal options.”
“I just want to say mahalo to all the people who challenged,” state Sen. Mike Gabbard (D-Kapolei-Makakilo-Kalaeloa), one of the Senate conference attendees, told the conference committee. “This was an important piece of legislation that was initiated by students.”
Senate Bill 2257 would amend current law to expand eligibility for teacher licensure in Hawaii to help fill Hawaii's teacher shortage.
This would remove barriers to obtaining a teaching license for education professionals who have industry experience but do not have a degree.
This bill would authorize the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board to evaluate individuals with an associate's degree or high school diploma, equivalent education, relevant coursework, industry experience, and subject matter proficiency. It is something.
SB 2475 serves as a safety measure for students in public, private, charter schools, and preschool programs by helping to prevent the hiring of school employees who have been found to have harmed students in the past.
The bill would require every K-12 educational institution in the state to create a “Student Harm Registry” of all school employees, contractors, and volunteers who upon investigation are found to have harmed students. It requires schools to maintain and share that information with other schools. .
Schools Superintendent Keith Hayashi submitted written testimony to Congress agreeing that creating a registry will help prevent the hiring of people who harm children.
“Increasing the ability of private and public preschools to communicate and provide important information to consider when making employment decisions will help maintain a healthy and safe learning environment for all keiki in Hawaii.” “This is extremely important for achieving this goal,” Hayashi wrote.
The Hawaii Teacher Standards Board submitted written testimony that registration would aid in the discipline process, which already allows the DOE to temporarily remove individuals from classrooms and school grounds during ongoing investigations. .
Punahou School President Michael Latham said in written testimony that current law often allows schools to fire employees who engage in misconduct, “but bad actors are frequently hired by other institutions and vulnerable “There is a possibility that they will continue to prey on students in other areas.”
Latham noted that in some cases, schools may choose not to exchange information to avoid defamation claims. Legal settlements could also impede the dissemination of warnings important to student safety.
“The Student Harm Registry created by this bill would require schools to report the names of perpetrators to a central registry, provide compensation if schools act with integrity, and require schools to “It would require officials to search the register and refuse to hire individuals named therein,” Latham wrote.
HB 2074 addresses the requirements needed to meet the growing demand for Kaiapuni education, or Hawaiian language immersion, by appropriating more funding to the DOE.
The bill would set aside $3.5 million for the 2024-2025 school year, including funding for three full-time equivalent Kaiapuni Educational Curriculum Specialist II positions and 10 full-time equivalent Kaiapuni Classroom Teacher positions.
The Ka Papahana Kaiapuni Statewide Council wrote in testimony that DOE currently funds 35 teaching positions in 22 DOE Kaiapuni schools.
The Department of Hawaii Affairs said in written testimony that the bill is “an important and decisive step to provide the Kaiapuni Program with the professional staff necessary for its expansion and sustainability.”
