THE SENATE	S.R. NO.	105
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII		PROPOSED

SENATE RESOLUTION

Requesting the University of Hawaii SYSTEM, in collaboration with the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board and other institutions of higher education, to require completion of comprehensive coursework in the science of reading as a condition for graduation from any state-approved educator preparation program leading to teacher licensure.

     WHEREAS, literacy is a foundational skill essential to academic success, workforce readiness, and civic participation; and

     WHEREAS, reading proficiency by the end of third grade is a critical benchmark that strongly predicts future educational outcomes; and

     WHEREAS, recognizing its importance, the Department of Education has identified literacy achievement as a priority area for student success; and

     WHEREAS, because not all new teachers have received sufficient training in literacy instruction, the Department of Education has indicated that it will conduct statewide professional development in the science of reading, which will require time, funding, and the hiring of consultants; and

     WHEREAS, ensuring that all teacher candidates are equipped with evidence-based reading instruction practices is essential to improving student literacy outcomes across the State; and

     WHEREAS, evidence-based research on how students learn to read and how reading should be effectively taught, commonly referred to as the "science of reading", encompasses decades of interdisciplinary study in cognitive science, neuroscience, and education; and

     WHEREAS, the science of reading emphasizes explicit, systematic instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension; and

     WHEREAS, despite its efficacy, many teacher preparation programs nationwide have not consistently required comprehensive coursework aligned with the science of reading, resulting in gaps in instructional effectiveness; and

     WHEREAS, aligning teacher preparation requirements with scientifically-supported instructional methods will strengthen educator readiness and student achievement statewide; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2026, that the University of Hawaii System, in collaboration with the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board and other institutions of higher education, is requested to require all candidates enrolled in state-approved educator preparation programs leading to teacher licensure to successfully complete at least one comprehensive course in the science of reading; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the science of reading course requirement is requested to include instruction in:

     (1)  Evidence-based reading development and instruction;

     (2)  Structured literacy practices, including phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension;

     (3)  Assessment and identification of reading difficulties, including characteristics of dyslexia; and

     (4)  Intervention strategies to support struggling readers; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that completion of the comprehensive science of reading course is requested to be a mandatory condition for graduation from any state-approved teacher education program and for recommendation for teacher licensure in the State; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the relevant state-approved teacher education programs are requested to implement this requirement no later than the 2028-2029 school year; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board is requested to align licensure standards and program approval criteria with the comprehensive science of reading course requirement; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Education, Superintendent of Education, Executive Director of the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board, President of the Hawaii State Teachers Association, and chief executive officer of each state-approved teacher education program.

Report Title: 

UH; HTSB; Science of Reading; Educator Preparation Programs; Teacher Licensure