THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	737
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2023
STATE OF HAWAII

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 article X, section 4, of the Hawaii State Constitution requires both English and Hawaiian language paths within public schools. The department of education's Hawaiian language medium education program, Ka Papa Kaiapuni, offers students an education in the medium of the Hawaiian language. The comprehensive program combines Hawaiian language, history, culture, values, and teaching methodologies to prepare students for college, professional life, and community engagement within a multicultural society.

Act 210, Session Laws of Hawaii 2021, requires the department of education to implement a statewide kindergarten entry assessment evaluating five domains of early childhood education: language and literacy development, cognition and general knowledge, approaches to learning, physical well-being and motor development, and social and emotional development. Act 210 also requires that the department of education conduct the assessment in English or ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi.

The legislature further finds that while the department of education procured for the statewide kindergarten entry assessment a quality research-based framework developed by Johns Hopkins University, the framework's ability to appropriately evaluate Ka Papa Kaiapuni students is limited and a comparable tool in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi does not exist. Due to a lack of educational resources in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, the development of a linguistically and culturally appropriate kindergarten entry assessment for Ka Papa Kaiapuni students is necessary. The legislature further finds that the department of education and the University of Hawaii have previously partnered to develop, pilot test, validate, and implement other education assessments.

Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to require the board of education, in collaboration with the University of Hawaii, to develop a kindergarten entry assessment in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi for Ka Papa Kaiapuni that aligns with the English language kindergarten entry assessment and reflects Hawaiian language, culture, and community, to be administered by the department of education.

SECTION 2. Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part IV, subpart C, to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§302A-   Standardized assessment for students entering kindergarten; Hawaiian language medium education program. (a) The board of education, in collaboration with the University of Hawaii, shall adopt a Hawaiian language medium education kindergarten entry assessment, and the department of education shall administer the assessment beginning with the 2026-2027 school year.

(b) The Hawaiian language medium education kindergarten entry assessment shall:

(1) Be administered within the first thirty days of each child's admission into kindergarten with the Hawaiian language medium education program;

(2) Be conducted in Hawaiian;

(3) Cover all essential domains of school readiness as appropriate for Hawaiian language medium education, including:

(A) Language and literacy development;

(B) Cognition and general knowledge;

(C) Approaches to learning;

(D) Physical well-being and motor development;

(E) Social and emotional development; and

(F) Hawaiian culture and community;

(4) Be used in conformance with the recommendations of the National Research Council reports on early childhood; and

(5) Be valid and reliable for its intended purpose.

(c) Information obtained from the Hawaiian language medium education kindergarten entry assessments shall be used to:

(1) Close the school readiness gap at kindergarten entry;

(2) Inform instruction in the early elementary school grades; and

(3) Inform parents of their children's status and to involve parents in decisions regarding their children's education.

(d) The department shall share the information gathered pursuant to this section with the department of human services, executive office on early learning, and state public charter school commission to the extent not otherwise prohibited by administrative rule or law."

SECTION 3. Section 302A-1165, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

"(b) The kindergarten entry assessment shall:

(1) Be administered within the first thirty days of each child's admission into kindergarten;

(2) Be a [uniform,] statewide assessment[; provided that the assessment shall be] conducted in English [or Hawaiian;]; provided that the Hawaiian language medium education program shall have its own standardized kindergarten entry assessment as described in section 302A-  ;

(3) Cover all essential domains of school readiness, including:

(A) Language and literacy development;

(B) Cognition and general knowledge;

(C) Approaches to learning;

(D) Physical well-being and motor development; and

(E) Social and emotional development;

(4) Be used in conformance with the recommendations of the National Research Council reports on early childhood; and

(5) Be valid and reliable for its intended purpose."

SECTION 4. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2023.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Hawaiian Language Medium Education Program; Ka Papa Kaiapuni; Kaiapuni Schools; Department of Education; Board of Education; University of Hawaii; Kindergarten Entry Assessment

Description:

Requires the Board of Education, in collaboration with the University of Hawaii, to develop a Hawaiian Language Medium Education Kindergarten Entry Assessment to be administered by the Department of Education, beginning with the 2026-2027 school year.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.