HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1650

THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that teachers and school administrators are essential to student success.  Yet, the board of education currently consists of nine voting members, none of whom are required to be a public school teacher or public school administrator.

     The legislature further finds that the board of education would benefit from the perspective of a public school teacher representative and public school administrator representative by providing insight into the:

     (1)  Educational and professional climate in Hawaii's public schools;

     (2)  Impact of education policies on teacher recruitment and retention; and

     (3)  Resources needed to deliver a quality learning experience to all of Hawaii's children.

     The legislature additionally finds that the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic (COVID-19) has significantly disrupted Hawaii's public education system, forcing schools to adapt their operations to protect public health.  School communities were required to adopt new protocols to deliver instructional content, including comprehensive distance learning programs.  Board of education members and school administrators were also responsible for using medical information to make decisions about school safety, such as when school campuses could safely reopen and welcome the return of faculty and students.  Board of education deliberations about protocols and service delivery systems developed in response to COVID-19 would have benefited from the experience of a public school teacher representative and public school administrator representative, given that teachers spearhead classes and directly interact with students and parents.

     The purpose of this Act is to require the board of education to invite:

     (1)  The exclusive representative for bargaining unit (5) to appoint a nonvoting public school teacher representative to the board; and

     (2)  The exclusive representative for bargaining unit (6) to appoint a nonvoting public school administrator representative to the board.

     SECTION 2.  Section 302A-121, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "[[]§302A-121[]]  Board of education; members; student [and], military, teacher, and administrator representatives.  (a)  The board shall consist of nine members as follows:

     (1)  One member from the county of Hawaii;

     (2)  One member from the county of Maui;

     (3)  One member from the county of Kauai;

     (4)  Three members from the city and county of Honolulu; and

     (5)  Three at-large members; provided that the governor shall select an at-large member as the chairperson.

The members shall be appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the senate.  The governor may remove or suspend for cause any member of the board.

     (b)  Pursuant to article XVIII, section 12, of the Hawaii State Constitution, the period of transition from the elected to the appointed board shall be as determined in section 21 of Act 5, Session Laws of Hawaii 2011.

     (c)  The members of the board shall serve without pay but shall be entitled to reimbursement for necessary expenses, including travel and board and lodging expenses, while attending meetings of the board or when actually engaged in business relating to the work of the board.

     (d)  Pursuant to section 302A-447, the state student council shall select a nonvoting public high school student representative to the board.

     (e)  Pursuant to section 302A-1101(c), the board shall invite the senior military commander in Hawaii to appoint a nonvoting military representative to the board.

     (f)  The board shall invite the exclusive representative for bargaining unit (5) to appoint a nonvoting public school teacher representative to the board.

     (g)  The board shall invite the exclusive representative for bargaining unit (6) to appoint a nonvoting public school administrator representative to the board."

     SECTION 3.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 3000.

 


 

Report Title:

Board of Education; Public School Teacher Representative; Public School Administrator Representative

 

Description:

Requires the board of education to invite the exclusive representative for bargaining unit (5) (teachers and other personnel of the department of education) to appoint a nonvoting public school teacher representative to the board and the exclusive representative for bargaining unit (6) (educational officers) to appoint a nonvoting public school administrator representative to the board.  Effective 7/1/3000.  (HD1)

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.