This Senate Concurrent Resolution requests the Hawaii Department of Education to reissue Requests for Proposals for contractors and prequalified small contractors to continue the Future Schools Now program, which uses job order contracting to repair school facilities more quickly and efficiently than traditional methods. The bill directly affects the state's public school system by ensuring uninterrupted access to construction services for addressing a backlog of over $1 billion in deferred maintenance needs across aging school facilities. Key provisions ask the department to initiate new procurement contracts in 2026 before existing agreements expire, maintain the use of job order contracting for accelerated repairs, and submit a report to the Legislature by early 2027 detailing the program's performance metrics.
This Senate Concurrent Resolution in Hawaii asks the Department of Education to study how mental health-related absences affect student attendance and well-being. The study will examine how often students miss school due to mental or behavioral health concerns, review policies in other states that allow such absences, and evaluate whether recognizing these absences as excused could improve student outcomes. The Department of Education is requested to submit a report with findings and recommendations to the Legislature by the end of 2026, which may include suggestions for policy or legislative changes. This measure does not change current laws but seeks to gather data to inform future decisions about student attendance policies.
This Senate Concurrent Resolution urges the Hawaii Legislature to create a working group to study how public charter schools can better access administrative and operational support services. The proposed group would examine whether establishing a centralized charter school district or service cooperative could provide more effective assistance for facilities, transportation, and other back-office functions. The working group would include representatives from the charter schools network, legislative committees, the Board of Education, and various stakeholder organizations. Its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, are to be submitted to the Legislature before the 2027 session begins.
This Senate Concurrent Resolution requests the Hawaii Department of Education to implement a pilot program offering micro-credentials to licensed teachers in public and charter schools. The program, developed with the National Education Association and the Hawaii State Teachers Association, provides competency-based professional development where members attend at no cost and non-members pay a $75 fee. Key provisions require the Department to post the program on its professional development website, allow teachers to earn professional development credits upon completion, and have the Hawaii State Teachers Association assist with outreach and verification. The resolution also mandates that the Department submit a report to the Legislature by early 2027 detailing participation rates, educator feedback, and recommendations for future expansion.
SCR 19 is a concurrent resolution requesting Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) to collaborate with the Department of Education and State Public Charter School Commission to create a student-led coral stewardship program. The program would focus on educating students and the public about reef-safe sunscreen practices (avoiding chemicals like oxybenzone that harm coral) through voluntary, non-enforcement activities like student outreach and educational materials. It specifically aims to engage students from public charter schools with existing marine stewardship programs, such as West Hawai‘i Explorations Academy. DLNR must report to the legislature by early 2027 on collaborative efforts and any recommendations for advancing reef protection.
Authorizes the Department of Education to subsidize all tuition and mandatory fees for a resident student enrolled in a 4-year college campus of the University of Hawaii System with an education program or that offers an education degree for the semester or term that the student enrolls in a State-Approved Teacher Education Program under certain conditions. Effective 7/31/2050. (SD2)
Appropriates funds for salaries and fringe benefits of positions for the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy's Space Science and Engineering Initiative Workforce Development Program, Maunakea Scholars Program, and Internship Program. Appropriates funds for office equipment and supplies, operational costs, and stipends for high school and college students. Effective 7/31/2050. (SD1)
Requires the University of Hawaii System to collect, analyze, and publicly report certain graduate outcome data. Requires and appropriates funds for the development and maintenance of a graduate outcomes dashboard. Appropriates funds for positions within the University of Hawaii's Office of the Vice President of Academic Strategy. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. Effective 7/31/2050. (SD1)
Establishes and implements evidence-based performance metrics for the P-20 Partnerships for Education to allow better evidence-based assessments of the P-20 Partnerships for Education advisory council's workforce and pathway development programs. Requires reports to the Legislature. Authorizes the expenditure of Perkins V federal funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
Requires the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board to develop an alternative pathway for a visiting international educator permit aligned to the duration of the educator's J-1 visa program. Permits the Department of Education and charter schools to hire unlicensed individuals as teachers on an emergency basis for five, rather than three, years. Requires HTSB to extend the five-year period in the case of a declared state of emergency. Requires the Department of Education to provide support to assist emergency hires in meeting the requirements of licensure and require the training be mandatory for emergency hires in their fourth and fifth years. Effective 7/31/2055. (SD1)
