2018 Hawaii Legislative Watch: Education

The 2018 Hawaii Legislature is in full swing, with an overwhelming 4,948 current 2017 and 2018 Bills (2,621 House and 2,327 Senate) up for discussion and debate. There are just 60 legislative days to effectively read, discuss, re-write, absorb testimony, and vote on these bills.

For the past few years, I’ve read through the bill summaries to find out about the bills being proposed that affect our money, education, and rights. I rely on these summaries to accurately reflect the legislators’ intensions. This year, instead of compiling an overview, I decided to narrow it down to the bills that I think need the most consideration and debate.

Last week, I highlighted three significant tax bills to watch. This week, I’m summarizing three significant education issues proposed in the 2018 Legislative Session. If I’ve missed any important bills, please let me know!

1. Should curriculum be imposed top-down? There are five major proposed changes to the K-12 curriculum. The bills include requiring an anti-bullying program; implementing a sexual abuse prevention program; setting civics knowledge requirements for graduating students; offering computer science or design thinking/coding classes, or accepting them in place of a math or science class; and teaching digital citizenship and media literacy. I do not oppose these curriculum changes, but I believe that many of them are already being implemented in schools. I wonder why the Legislature must mandate these programs from above, instead of letting the Hawaii DOE set curriculum policies. Is state legislation required to make these curriculum changes?

 The Legislature also seems to be unnecessarily managing other aspects of the school day, such as requiring schools to have at least 15 minutes of recess before lunch (SB2385) and requiring schools to provide allow at least 30 minutes for lunch (SB2386). The schools should have the responsibility to reasonably set and adjust their own schedules.

2. Are 3-year olds ready for school? Legislators want to open preschool for 3-year olds, in addition to 4-year olds (HB388 HD1 and SB181). However, not all 3-year olds are ready for structured school. In fact, not all 4-year olds are ready for structured school. Children may learn better in a home environment, with nurturing parents and caretakers I believe that the Hawaii Department of Education (DOE) needs to focus on its current K-12, undergraduate, and graduate responsibilities, instead of expanding its mandate.

3. How can we promote college attendance? Higher education can lead to better employment opportunities and higher salaries, while lowering the chances of being unemployed and needing government assistance. Legislators are proposing an income tax credit for college savings contributions (HB128 HD1, SB2544), tax deductions for college savings account contributions (SB3062), income tax deductions for student loan interest payments (HB1276 HD1 SD1 and SB1081 SD1), and even paying student loans with pre-tax income (HB958). I am less convinced about another proposed bill, HB373 HD1, which would establish a state matching grant program for resident undergraduate UH students with financial need and whose parents have not earned a baccalaureate or higher degree. I don’t know which bill(s) would be most effective, but I like the intended effects: to encourage people to save for college, and to help recent college graduates manage their college loans and help them gain control of their finances.

4. How can we encourage more teachers to remain in Hawaii? There is a chronic teacher shortage in Hawaii public schools. Only 52% of new teachers in Hawaii stay for five years, according to a Teacher Recruitment Data Report for 2016-2017; and 43% of teachers who resigned from the DOE left Hawaii, according to the DOE Employment Report SY2016-2017. HB2166 has an elegant solution: create housing vouchers for full-time classroom public school teachers. In Hawaii, we may not be able to pay teachers what they are worth, and we can’t do anything about the high cost of living, but perhaps we can make sure that they have an affordable place to live.

The 2018 Hawaii Legislature adjourns on May 3. Please think about these issues and how they may affect you, everyone around you, and future generations. Whether you have concerns or feel strongly about an issue, speak up, talk about it, and be part of the discussion!

2017 Hawaii Legislative Watch: Education

The 2017 Hawaii Legislative Session started on January 18 with prayers, speeches, and music. Hawaii residents definitely need the prayers – our lawmakers have been busy, introducing 1,601 bills in the House of Representatives and 1,317 bills in the Senate. It’s a mountain of paperwork, negotiation, tax dollars, and details.

Every year, I do a legislative round-up that spotlights bills that could have a big impact on Hawaii. I will focus on taxes, education, individual rights vs. government powers, controversial issues, and (in my opinion) unnecessary and wasteful spending. With over 2,900 bills being proposed in 2017 and less time than ever to read through them, I rely as always on bill summaries to accurately reflect the bills’ intentions.

Here is an overview of the significant education bills being proposed in the 2017 Legislative Session. I’ve organized the bills into three sections: 6 bills that could be positive steps in education, 5 bills that micromanage schools, and 3 bills that need more discussion. If I’ve missed any important bills, please let me know!

6 bills that could be positive steps in education:

1. Promoting careers in teaching. HB1169 would require the University of Hawaii to promote careers in teaching to high school students. Instead of complaining about the lack of teachers, we can do something about it.
2. Promoting college savings. HB1074 and SB940 would allow State income tax deductions for college savings. Instead of worrying about student debt, we can encourage families to save more for college.
3. Making college more accessible and affordable. HB1154 and 1020 would offer scholarships at UH community colleges. HB1591, HB1594, SB135 and SB1162 would create a scholarship program called the University of Hawaii Promise Program. SB15 would make community college tuition free for residents. I tentatively support this program, but I want to know more about how much it would cost and how students would qualify.
4. Reducing the burden of student loans. HB958 would allow individuals to pay student loan debt with pre-tax income. HB1276 and SB1081 would offer a State income tax deduction of up to $5,000 per year for student loan interest paid on qualified education loans. This could help reduce anxiety and student loan defaults.
5. Promoting computer science classes. HB1166 and SB299 would encourage computer science classes in high school and college. Technology jobs can help keep Hawaii’s graduates in Hawaii.
6. Getting ready to work. SB298 would create a Workforce Readiness program that would allow students to graduate from an extended high school enrollment with a high school diploma and an industry-recognized associate’s degree. SB619 would create a K-12 Curriculum to Career Pipeline initiative. We need to prepare students for getting jobs – and promotions.

5 bills that micromanage schools:

1. Legislating class size and minimum teacher salary. SB176 would limit the class size in public schools to 18 students and establish a minimum salary for new teachers of $55,000 per year. I think schools should have the flexibility to decide class size.
2. 100 years of student records. HB1232 and SB1100 would require schools to keep student records for at least 100 years. Why 100 years? Why would someone need their school records from over 50 years ago?
3. Jumping through hoops for innovation grants. HB1092 and SB958 would make teachers and schools write grants for “innovative” programs. I think schools should be the gate-keepers of innovation, and teachers should not have to spend extra time writing grant proposals.
4. School libraries required. SB616 would require all public schools to have a library. I think that schools should make this decision.
5. Legislator approval for university tuition fees. HB23 would require University of Hawaii tuition increases to be approved by the Hawaii State legislature. I think that UH should retain the authority to set tuition, without getting politicians involved.

3 bills that need more discussion:

1. Local school boards. HB1201 would create at least 7 local school boards. One school district may offer cost savings (economies of scale); local school districts may offer more flexible and innovative solutions. Before creating a flatter bureaucracy with more bureaucrats, can we fix the system we have?
2. Anti-bullying classes for students and parents. HB890 and SB561 would require anti-bullying policies that include anti-bullying classes for students who have engaged in bullying as well as their parents/guardians. I think that the parents who would attend an anti-bullying class are the parents who already support their children. Are there other, less formal ways to reach students and parents?
3. Student loan forgiveness for State employees. SB348 would offer a loan forgiveness program for University of Hawaii graduates who work for the State or county. While I admire innovative solutions to student loan debt, I think this would be an expensive program and could result in government expansion as more people work for the government.

The 2017 Hawaii Legislature adjourns on May 4. Please think about these issues and how they may affect you, everyone around you, our children, and our grandchildren. Whether you have concerns or feel strongly about an issue, speak up, talk about it, and be part of the discussion!

Hawaii Legislative Watch: Education

Last week, I focused on some of the tax proposals in the 2013 Hawaii legislative session. This week, let’s look at education.

Some of the hot-button issues in education include public preschool, mandatory kindergarten, and school safety. One bill stands out for its scope: HB1453 attempts to reform the public education system with a barrage of reforms, such as establishing student-teacher ratios, requiring Internet access, setting teacher salaries, and more.

Here are the education highlights from the 2013 Legislative Session. If I’ve missed any important education-related bills, please let me know!

There are four proposals that directly affect our students.

1. Early childhood education: HB853 and SB1084 propose a constitutional amendment to establish early childhood education programs. HB862 and SB1093 establish the School Readiness Program. HB864 and SB1095 establish the Early Childhood Education Program.  I am concerned that Hawaii cannot afford it and the schools will basically provide state-funded daycare.

2. Mandatory kindergarten: HB14, HB609, and HB1466 make attendance at kindergarten mandatory. If Hawaii can afford it, I think this is a great idea for kids to get a head start for school. On the other hand, are we taking children away from their parents too soon?

3. School choice: SB278 establishes the School Choice Scholarship program to provide students access to nonpublic schools, based upon financial need. This seems like a test-case for a school voucher program, but available to only lower-income children.

4. Peer education program: SB523 establishes peer education programs in Hawaii public secondary schools.

Here are five proposals that directly affect our teachers.

1. Empowering teachers: HB684 allows a teacher to exclude from the classroom any disruptive or threatening student. Why do we need a law for this common-sense practice?

2. Adjunct teachers in the classroom: HB1276 allows schools to hire adjunct teachers who are exempt from teacher licensing requirements. This would allow schools more hiring options and encourage more people to consider teaching.

3. Adding to teachers’ workloads: HB1306 requires teachers to get 2 hours of training on human trafficking. SB643 requires teachers to receive cardiopulmonary resuscitation training and certification. Teachers have more than enough to do right now, with teaching, preparation, grading, and extracurricular activities.

4. School debit cards: HB1376 allows school principals to use debit cards to purchase school and curriculum supplies. This sounds reasonable, as long as there is accountability for spending.

5. Income tax credits for teachers: SB573 offers a state income tax credit for school teachers. Nice help for teachers, though it will mean more paperwork, of course.

There are six big-picture proposals that affect our schools.

1. Safer schools: HB301 requires classroom doors that lock and unlock under certain circumstances; HB1479 sets up a task force to study the issue. We’re turning our schools into prisons in the name of safety. HB397, SB525, and SB1350 require anti-bullying, anti-cyberbullying, and anti-harassment programs. HB678 limits teacher-student electronic communication (email, social networking) to DOE networks only. HB1295 and SB938 establish the Peaceful Schools Program. HB1477 creates a task force to study school safety. SB701 requires a sexual abuse of children policy and establishes a task force. This is more responsibility, expenses, and paperwork for the schools; but it’s hard to vote against school safety.

2. Healthier schools: HB478 allows schools to grow and consume food from school gardens; HB1243 sets up a task force to study the issue. I don’t think we need “permission” to eat fruits and vegetables that we grow! HB1084, HB1099, and SB1378 require diabetes training for schools with students with diabetes. Isn’t this the responsibility of parents and pediatricians? SB609 requires schools to offer a vegetarian entrée at least once a week. Lunch menus should be left up to the schools and cafeteria managers.

3. Tax incentives for after-school programs: HB569 establishes a tax credit for businesses that sponsor after-school programs. I’d like to encourage businesses and the community to get involved in our schools, but can we ask for their help without offering a tax credit?

4. Local school boards: HB1051 and HB1277 propose a constitutional amendment to establish local school boards. I don’t think it will make a big difference whether it’s a statewide school board or local school boards; it will mean a lot of local input, duplicate work, and more paperwork.

5. Two more years of school: HB1472 raises the age limit from 20 years of age to 22 years of age to provide children with disabilities access to a public education. We need to consider how effective two more years of school will be and whether we can afford it.

6. Electronic-based curriculum tools pilot program: SB1296 establishes an electronic-based curriculum tools pilot program for one public intermediate or middle school. Doesn’t Hawaii have an online charter school that we could study?

Please think about these education issues and how they may affect you and everyone around you. If you feel strongly about an issue, speak out! Talk to your family and friends, let your Hawaii legislators know about it, and write letters to the local newspapers.