REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO REQUIRE ONE YEAR OF HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION AS A GRADUATION REQUIREMENT IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

This Senate Resolution requests that the Hawaii Department of Education make one year of Hawaiian language instruction a mandatory graduation requirement for all public school students. The bill directly affects students in Hawaii's public school system by adding a new academic requirement to their graduation criteria. The resolution is based on the state constitution's mandate to provide Hawaiian language education and aims to support the revitalization of the Hawaiian language, which has historically faced decline due to past bans on its teaching. The measure does not change existing Hawaiian language programs but instead seeks to make them compulsory for graduation rather than optional.