This Senate Resolution urges Hawaii's Department of Education to officially recognize competitive cheerleading as a Title IX sport, which would grant high school cheer athletes equal athletic opportunities and access to resources like certified coaching and safety oversight. The bill directs the Department of Education to develop guidelines and safety standards in collaboration with the Hawaii High School Athletic Association to meet federal Title IX criteria for classifying cheerleading as an interscholastic sport. This resolution applies specifically to high school competitive cheerleading programs in Hawaii and aims to align the state's policies with federal requirements for gender equity in athletics.
This Senate Resolution asks the State Auditor to review the Department of Education's list of unfinished school construction and renovation projects. The audit will examine how much money has been spent on each project, why some are delayed or over budget, and how much additional funding is needed to finish them. The goal is to provide a clear picture of the state's school infrastructure needs and suggest ways to manage future projects more effectively. The Auditor must submit a report with findings and recommendations to the Legislature before the 2027 session begins.
This Senate resolution urges the Hawaii Legislature to create a working group that will study how to better support public charter schools in the state. The proposed group would examine current administrative challenges faced by charter schools, such as facility maintenance and operational services, and evaluate whether establishing a centralized district or service cooperative could provide more effective support. The working group would include representatives from various stakeholder organizations and must submit its findings and recommendations to the Legislature by early 2027. This resolution does not create any new laws or programs itself, but rather sets up a study process to inform future policy decisions about charter school support structures.
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 Resolution urges Hawaii's Department of Education to strengthen menstrual health education in public schools by adopting a comprehensive curriculum. The bill directly affects students, educators, and school administrators by requesting the creation of age-appropriate lessons that cover menstrual biology, hygiene, and cultural perspectives. Key provisions include integrating the four pillars of menstrual dignity - privacy, inclusivity, access, and education - into existing health standards, with specific requirements for elementary schools such as using anatomically correct diagrams and providing age-appropriate books. The resolution also calls for culturally responsive content that includes both Native Hawaiian and Western views on menstruation while ensuring materials are respectful of all students regardless of race, gender, or background.
This Senate Resolution requests the State Auditor to perform quarterly performance and management audits of the Department of Education and its related agencies. The bill aims to address concerns about the current internal audit structure by having an independent external auditor evaluate program effectiveness, leadership, federal fund usage, and school plans. These audits will rotate among different departments and must cover at least two performance and two management reviews each year. The Department of Education and its agencies are asked to use the audit results to adjust programs and resource allocation to better support student success and workforce preparation.
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.
