HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	45
THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2022		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE RESOLUTION

URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO CONVENE A WORKING GROUP TO REMEDY STATEWIDE SCHOOL BUS TRANSPORTATION INEQUITIES FOR SCHOOLCHILDREN FROM LOW- TO MODERATE-INCOME FAMILIES.

WHEREAS, the United States Constitution requires that all children be given equal educational opportunities regardless of their race, ethnicity, religion, sex, socioeconomic status, or citizenship; and

WHEREAS, access to safe and efficient transportation to and from school is a fundamental part of public education's mission to ensure all children have access to equal educational opportunities; and

WHEREAS, a lack of school transportation services leads to tardiness, absenteeism, and poor educational performances and outcomes for schoolchildren; and

WHEREAS, students on the free or reduced meals program who rely on receiving their meals at school are also negatively impacted by a lack of transportation services because an absence or tardy could mean these students will miss crucial meals; and

WHEREAS, parents and guardians without reliable transportation often must make difficult choices to ensure their child can get to and from school, including having their child stay with a relative or close family friend, resulting in disruptions to the child's home life; and

WHEREAS, higher income families have the resources to transport their children to and from school on time, which dramatically decreases the likelihood of tardiness and absenteeism, resulting in better student performances; and

WHEREAS, using personal vehicles to transport children to and from school increases traffic congestion in communities and delays families from completing their household and financial responsibilities on time; and

WHEREAS, while school bus route shortages existed before the current pandemic, COVID-19 has reduced the size of the school bus driver workforce by fifteen percent and has resulted in the suspension of at least thirty statewide school bus routes; and

WHEREAS, these critical statewide school bus service disruptions, specifically on the neighbor islands, widen the equity gap between low- and high-income families and contribute to learning loss amongst students who are chronically absent or tardy; and

WHEREAS, previous attempts to remedy the lack of school bus services, such as the Hele-On partnership with Hawaii County public schools to provide students with free monthly bus passes, have proven to be inadequate, unsafe for unaccompanied elementary schoolchildren, take longer than traditional school bus routes, and still transport students to school late; and

WHEREAS, to ensure children have equal opportunities to attend public school, it is urgent that the Department of Education increase school bus routes and services, particularly on neighbor islands and in rural areas; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2022, that the Department of Education is urged to convene a working group to remedy school bus transportation inequity for low- to moderate-income families; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that working group is urged to consider the possibility of paying shortage differentials to incentivize the hiring of more school bus drivers to help remedy school bus transportation inequity, especially on the neighbor islands and in rural areas; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations regarding school bus service, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2023; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Education and Interim Superintendent of Education.

Report Title:

Department of Education; School Bus Routes