Bill Text: HI SB485 | 2016 | Regular Session | Introduced

Hawaii Senate Bill 485 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Department of Education; Capital Improvement Projects; General Obligation Bonds; Appropriation ($)

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-12-17 - Carried over to 2016 Regular Session. [SB485 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2016-SB485-Introduced.html

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	485
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2015
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

Relating to education.

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

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that investing in public school capital improvements is essential to fulfill the State's mandate to provide quality education for Hawaii's students. Providing a quality education is almost impossible without providing comfortable, adequately-appointed facilities for the delivery of instruction. Capital improvement projects that have gone unfunded include not only improved parking lots and athletic facilities, but absolute essentials such as elevators and chair lifts to accommodate persons with disabilities, roofing, security projects, telecommunications installations, new classroom buildings, and air conditioning. Air conditioning, a given for most state agencies, is still absent from most of Hawaii's public schools. This improvement alone would go a long way toward improving air quality for students and teachers, improving learning conditions overall, and bolstering school security.

The legislature further finds that poor physical building conditions are detrimental to student achievement and teacher performance. The United States Department of Education has reported, using decades of research across several different states, that when other factors are accounted for, students housed in substandard school buildings achieve approximately 5 per cent below students in school buildings in fair condition and about 11 per cent below students in school buildings in excellent condition. The same report notes that teachers are also impacted by poor facilities. Low quality facilities, inability to control climate, and poor acoustics all translate to low morale, concern for safety, lack of job satisfaction, and feelings of ineffectiveness.

The legislature further finds that capital improvements can help schools reach Hawaii department of education goals set in the strategic plan and strive hi performance system standards, and the United States Department of Education's race to the top initiative. All of these initiatives are focused on boosting student achievement through individual efforts, teacher achievement, and community supports. They involve collecting data, implementing new curricula, evaluating educators, providing incentives, and targeting struggling schools for intensive supports. The research has shown that another way to improve student achievement and teacher effectiveness is by providing students and teachers with a comfortable, well-maintained, secure environment. A 2005 study of New York schools found higher suspension rates, lower attendance, and lower test scores among students in unsatisfactory buildings. A national study published in 2008 found that students are sensitive to a school's ambience and that the school's physical condition was associated with problem behaviors in students. A 2009 study found a direct association between the physical disorder of a school building and social disorder among students. And finally, a 2009 study in Texas found that for every 10 per cent reduction in the use of portable facilities, test scores increased by eleven points, and for every 10 per cent increase in deferred maintenance, average test scores decreased by 0.61 point. School improvements will remove these unnecessary blocks to student success and teacher morale. Bringing school facilities up to par eliminates that variable in student achievement over which students, teachers, and parents have no control. As teachers, administrators, and parents do all they can to inspire achievement among students, the State must meet those efforts with adequate funding for school improvement.

The purpose of this Act is to provide funding for department of education backlogged capital improvement projects.

SECTION 2. The director of finance is authorized to issue general obligation bonds in the sum of $100,000,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary is appropriated for fiscal year 2015-2016 for the purpose of funding department of education backlogged capital improvement projects.

SECTION 3. The appropriation made for the capital improvement projects authorized by this Act shall not lapse at the end of the fiscal biennium for which the appropriation is made; provided that all moneys from the appropriation unencumbered as of June 30, 2018, shall lapse as of that date.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2015.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Department of Education; Capital Improvement Projects; General Obligation Bonds; Appropriation

Description:

Authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds and appropriates funds for department of education capital improvement projects.

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