HB2436

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that a well-rounded education includes access to high-quality fine arts instruction and opportunities for students to learn through creative expression. Arts education and arts integration strengthen student engagement, cultural connection, and whole-child development, while supporting learning across subject areas, including general education and classrooms that are focused on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

The legislature further finds that the department of education's Nā Hopena Aʻo learning outcomes, also known as the HĀ: BREATH framework, emphasizes belonging, responsibility, excellence, aloha, total well-being, and Hawaii, and that arts integration supports implementation of HĀ by connecting learning to cultural practice, identity, and respect for diverse cultures.

The legislature recognizes the value of the state foundation on culture and the arts' artist in the schools program, which provides professional teaching artists in public schools, and finds that arts integration complements this work by training and supporting educators to use arts-based strategies to teach academic content.

Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to establish arts integration coordinator positions or arts integration specialist positions within the department of education to support fine arts education and arts integration statewide through island-based coordination, educator support, and strengthened partnerships with local artists, cultural practitioners, and arts programs.

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

"§302A- Arts integration; coordinators; specialists; establishment. (a) There is established within the department one arts integration coordinator position or arts integration specialist position, as determined by the department, for each of the following islands: Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii island.

(b) Each arts integration coordinator position or arts integration specialist position shall interface with and support multiple school complexes on their respective island and shall provide coordination and technical assistance to support fine arts education and arts integration in public schools.

(c) The duties of each arts integration coordinator position or arts integration specialist position shall include but not be limited to:

(1) Supporting the integration of fine arts and arts-based instructional strategies into classroom curriculum and instruction across grade levels and subject areas;

(2) Providing professional learning, coaching, and technical assistance to teachers, school leaders, and staff on arts integration strategies aligned with the department's instructional goals and the Nā Hopena Aʻo framework;

(3) Coordinating with the state foundation on culture and the arts to support and strengthen the artist in the schools program, including facilitating communication and coordination between schools, complexes, teaching artists, and the state foundation on culture and the arts;

(4) Supporting educators and teaching artists by developing resources, guidance, and implementation tools to strengthen high-quality arts learning experiences;

(5) Strengthening partnerships between the department, local artists, cultural practitioners, community arts organizations, and cultural programs to expand access to arts learning and culturally grounded experiences;

(6) Supporting culturally responsive arts integration strategies that connect to Hawaii's history, ʻike kūpuna, and diverse cultural communities, and that promote respect, belonging, and aloha;

(7) Supporting instructional strategies for English learners and multilingual learners through arts integration approaches that promote language development, comprehension, and engagement; and

(8) Collecting and sharing promising practices and examples of effective arts integration strategies, including approaches that increase student engagement and academic achievement.

(d) The department may consult with the state foundation on culture and the arts, public school complexes, and relevant stakeholders to develop implementation guidance and coordinate services statewide for the purposes of this section.

(e) For the purposes of this section:

"Artist in the schools program" means the program administered by the state foundation on culture and the arts that places professional artists in public schools to provide arts learning experiences.

"Arts integration" means an approach to teaching and learning in which educators use fine arts strategies to teach academic content and improve student engagement, including training and support for teachers to incorporate arts-based strategies in classroom instruction."

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $600,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 to establish and fund four full-time equivalent (4.0 FTE) arts integration coordinator positions or arts integration specialist positions within the department of education, including salary, fringe benefits, and operational expenses; provided that one position shall be established in each of the islands of Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii island.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	2436
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026
STATE OF HAWAII