Directs the University of Hawaii Community College System, in partnership with state agencies and maritime employers, to conduct a study and develop a plan for a statewide Maritime Youth Apprenticeship Pathway Program for individuals ages 16 to 24. Requires a report to the Legislature with recommendations on program structure, resource needs, proposed legislation and implementation options. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/31/2055. (SD1)
HB 2437 allocates state funds to the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts to support its "Artists in the Schools" program. This program directly brings professional artists into public schools to provide hands-on arts education. The bill provides concrete funding for the program's operations, including artist stipends and materials. It affects participating public schools and their students by expanding access to in-person arts instruction.
This Senate Concurrent Resolution requests the State Auditor to conduct quarterly performance and management audits of Hawaii's Department of Education and its attached agencies. The bill addresses concerns that the department's internal audit office has a conflict of interest because its director reports directly to the Superintendent, while the existing Audit Committee lacks authority to evaluate program effectiveness for student success. Under this resolution, the Auditor would rotate quarterly audits among different agencies and focus on academic performance, leadership structures, federal funding usage, and school plans. The Department of Education is urged to use these audit findings to evaluate programs and reallocate resources to improve student academic outcomes and workforce readiness.
This Senate Concurrent Resolution requests that Hawaii's Board of Education work with the Department of Education to change public high school graduation requirements so that students must complete a standalone financial literacy course. The bill addresses concerns that the current approach, which allows financial literacy to be integrated into other courses or the Personal Transition Plan, may not provide sufficient dedicated instruction and accountability. It proposes specific implementation steps including teacher professional development, funding identification, student completion tracking, and a curriculum based on community input. The resolution is based on evidence showing declining financial literacy among younger generations and the benefits of dedicated financial education for post-secondary success.
This Senate Concurrent Resolution urges Hawaii's Department of Education to strengthen menstrual health education initiatives and adopt a comprehensive curriculum for public schools. The resolution calls for a curriculum built on four pillars of menstrual dignity: privacy, inclusivity, access, and education, while covering topics like hygiene, stigmas, and health challenges. It specifies age-appropriate goals for grades 5, 8, and 12, and requires elementary schools to include anatomically correct diagrams, age-appropriate books, and instruction on menstrual dignity. This non-binding resolution does not change existing laws but recommends specific educational standards to improve menstrual health education across the state.
This Senate Concurrent Resolution urges the Hawaii Departments of Education and Agriculture and Biosecurity to jointly create a Farmer-to-Institution Coordination Plan that aligns with the AINA Kitchen Network rollout. The bill addresses the gap between the state's 2030 goal of sourcing 30% of school meal ingredients locally and the current 5.43% achievement rate, which an audit found resulted in nearly $2 million in unspent federal funds. The proposed plan would identify specific crops needed by the new regional kitchens, assess local production capacity, and outline strategies for helping farmers scale operations through long-term contracts and technical assistance. It requires collaboration with the Interagency Food Systems Working Group and other stakeholders to ensure the coordination plan includes measurable milestones tied to each phase of the AINA Kitchen Network's construction and service timeline.
This bill is a Senate concurrent resolution that urges Hawaii's Department of Education to officially recognize competitive cheerleading as a Title IX sport. It directly affects high school students, coaches, and athletic programs by requesting the state education department to develop guidelines and safety standards that align with federal Title IX requirements for gender equity in athletics. The resolution asks the Department of Education to work with the Hawaii High School Athletic Association to establish criteria for classifying cheerleading as a varsity sport, ensuring athletes receive equitable access to resources like certified coaching, training support, and facilities. As a non-binding resolution, it does not mandate immediate changes but serves as a formal recommendation to state officials to evaluate and potentially adopt cheerleading as a recognized interscholastic sport.
This Senate Concurrent Resolution requests the Hawaii Department of Education to form a committee to create a plan for a new K-12 Hawaiian language immersion school in Kapolei. The bill responds to community demand and addresses the current lack of a complete K-12 immersion program in the area, which forces many students to commute long distances to Honolulu for education. The proposed committee would include 11 members representing school administrators, teachers, higher education officials, and community stakeholders to guide the planning process. The action plan developed by this committee must address facility needs, teacher recruitment, and curriculum development to establish a self-contained school serving grades K-12.
This bill requests the Hawaii Department of Education to create a standardized bell schedule framework for public schools across the state. The proposed framework would organize school start and end times by level - elementary, middle, and high school - while still allowing local flexibility and meeting minimum instructional hour requirements. The bill requires the department to consult with school administrators, teachers, parents, students, and transportation providers during development. This initiative aims to address current inconsistencies in school schedules that affect transportation, staffing, family logistics, and coordination with community programs.
This Senate Concurrent Resolution requests the Hawaii Department of Education to combine the McKinley and Waipahu Community Schools for Adults into one statewide program called the Hawaii State Community School for Adults. The bill aims to improve coordination, streamline operations, and better serve adult learners by creating a unified system that maintains current services while expanding program quality. It directs the Department to consult with employee representatives, develop a transition plan to minimize disruption, and target a July 1, 2026 start date for the new unified program.
