SB2270 CD1

Report Title:

Education

 

Description:

Implements study pertaining to licensing of educational administrators. (SB2270 CD1(A))

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2270
TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2002		S.D. 2
STATE OF HAWAII		H.D. 2
		C.D. 1

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to education.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that as the education reform movement has gained momentum nationwide and in Hawaii over the past two decades, setting standards for all those involved in education and holding them accountable is necessary to strengthen the public school system. The discussion about educational accountability at the school level often begins with leadership. Many studies show that a crucial factor in determining whether schools and districts succeed or fail is the quality and stability of their leadership. "Behind every great school is a great principal," is a notion that permeates school districts nationwide and in Hawaii.

School administrators must be given the appropriate education, training, professional development, and support they need to be qualified leaders and create a school environment that is conducive to student success. The legislature concludes that to strengthen the school administrator profession, standards of practice for public school administrators must be set forth to ensure that Hawaii's public schools are administered by properly trained and qualified leaders.

The purpose of this Act is to take the foundational steps towards establishing an independent body to set and monitor standards for school administrators.

SECTION 2. (a) The department of education, in collaboration with the Hawaii teacher standards board, shall convene a working group composed of representatives of collective bargaining unit (6) and current or prospective school administrator training programs including programs at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Brigham Young University-Hawaii Campus, Chaminade University, or other prospective administrator training programs. Members of bargaining unit (6) shall be allowed to nominate their representatives to the working group.

(b) The working group shall consider the findings of the department of education pursuant to Act 188, Session Laws of Hawaii 2001, and any subsequent studies pertaining to school administrator or educational officer job duties, responsibilities, or competencies before submitting final recommendations to the Legislature for addressing school administrator quality. The working group shall also address the following in its recommendations:

(1) The composition, duties, and powers of a proposed independent body to license or certify, and establish standards for, school administrators;

(2) The participation and representation of school administrators in the establishment and implementation of standards of practice and the means by which the standards will be monitored and maintained;

(3) The participation of school administrators in the establishment and implementation of program standards for school administrator preparation programs;

(4) The powers and duties of the school administrator profession, the department of education, and the Hawaii teacher standards board as they pertain to the working group's recommendations;

(5) The resources needed to implement the working group's recommendations;

(6) The proposed funding mechanism for implementing the working group's recommendations;

(7) Statutory changes needed to implement the working group's recommendations; and

(8) Any other related topics identified by the working group.

The working group shall use July 1, 2005 as its target date for the implementation of its recommendations to the legislature.

(c) The Hawaii Educational Policy Center shall provide research and technical assistance as requested by the working group.

(d) The working group shall submit a report to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the 2003 regular session.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2002.