70
THE SENATE                           S.C.R. NO.            S.D. 1
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                    SENATE  CONCURRENT
                        RESOLUTION

  URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO SUSPEND THE ESTABLISHMENT
    OF ANY ADDITIONAL MIDDLE SCHOOLS.



 1        WHEREAS, there is a movement by public school officials to
 2   establish more middle schools by combining the sixth grade with
 3   seventh and eighth grades, however, parents and guardians of
 4   students who may be affected have not been informed of this
 5   plan and have not had an opportunity for input and discussion;
 6   and
 7   
 8        WHEREAS, there is concern as to the types of programs that
 9   will be offered to sixth grade students when they are
10   integrated with intermediate grade level students; and 
11   
12        WHEREAS, the population of students in elementary schools
13   will decline as a result of sixth graders leaving; and
14   
15        WHEREAS, currently the sixth grade students in elementary
16   schools are role models and leaders who perform important
17   functions such as producing the school newspaper; and
18   
19        WHEREAS, the elementary schools will lose teachers,
20   educational assistants, clerks and resource teachers as a
21   result of combining sixth grade with seventh and eighth grade;
22   and 
23   
24        WHEREAS, there is a need for the Department of Education
25   to understand the needs and programs that are necessary for
26   middle school students and parents; and 
27   
28        WHEREAS, the roles and responsibilities of the Governor
29   and Legislature are to adequately fund the Board of Education
30   and the Department of Education endorsed public educational
31   programs; now, therefore, 
32   
33        BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twentieth Legislature
34   of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 1999, the House of
35   Representatives concurring, that the Department of Education is
36   urged to suspend the establishment of any additional middle

 
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                                  S.C.R. NO.            S.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        


 1   schools; and
 2   
 3        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education
 4   review all research studies, including any Legislative
 5   Reference Bureau reports, and consider parent, student, and
 6   community input before implementing any future middle school
 7   plans; and
 8   
 9        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
10   Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, the Board
11   of Education, the Superintendent of Education, and the Director
12   of the Legislative Reference Bureau.