EDU Public Hearing 04-06-2026

001Good afternoon and welcome to the Committee on Education. Today is Monday, April 6th. It's 1:02 p.m. We are in room 229 and this hearing of the Senate Committee on Education. Um if we must end this hearing due to technical issues, the committee will reconvene on Wednesday, April 8th at 1:00 p.m. in conference room 229 and a public notice will be posted on the way state web legislature website and due to number of measures before the committee and volume of testifiers, testimony will be limited to 1 minute and this hearing is being streamed live on YouTube. Uh should anything arise, I guess I said that already. Okay, with that, um I don't know what happened to the rest of the members. I'm sure they'll be coming in shortly. Uh we will start off with Senate Concurrent

002Resolution 112 and SR 105. We'll be taking the concurrent resolutions and the resolutions together. So, these resolutions together. Uh starting off with requesting the University of Hawaii system in collaboration with the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board and other institutions of higher education to require completion of comprehensive coursework in the science of reading as a condition for graduation from any state approved educator preparation program leading to teachers licensure. And first we have Deborah Halbert, uh Dee Morita, Deborah? Uh-huh. Good afternoon, Chair Kam. My name is Debbie Halbert, Vice President for Academic Strategy. I have with us the Dean of the College of Education at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. We'll stand on our written testimony, but I do want to add that in addition to the materials and resources we discussed in our testimony, Hawaii P-20

003along with the DOE and other partners have a statewide literacy plan as well as a literacy coalition. So, there is active work being done in this area. Both of those groups also promote and include tenants of the science of reading. If you have other questions, I'll be happy to defer to the subject matter experts on that including Dr. Stephanie Bolos who's with us. Thank you. Thank you. Why don't you just sit there? Anyone else That's the only person in person. Um that is not up to testify. Anyone else wishing to testify on this measure? If not, uh Dee Morita or whoever else want to sit and ask answer questions? Okay, so from the testimony, I'm gathering that you do not want to have this part of the graduation or that embedded into your curriculum or

004explain that to me. Um Yes, I We are um in our testimony, this uh course that the science of reading course alone, a standalone course. Um We feel it's We feel that it doesn't necessarily reflect the what we can do to impact the overall teacher literacy for our all our children because it's very interdisciplinary. Cuts across multiple subject areas. Uh and so I think we uh you know, we feel strong that it is important, but we also feel that you know, it's it's not it's not like a one-size-fits-all kind of thing. So, there should be different approaches and one of which is is certainly this area called science of reading. Okay, so you folks have the science of reading already embedded in in your curriculum? >> components of the science of reading such as phonetic

005awareness, comprehension, uh those kinds of strategies that are already embedded across that we're currently teaching, yes. But we don't call it the science of reading. We have components of the science of reading. Okay, and is it comprehensive enough to be considered that they've had um training in the science of reading? Well, I don't know if it's uh comprehensive enough. Uh I do know that that, you know, there there are different strategies that they do use. Um and one of which, you know, of course the phonetic awareness and comprehension and um word identification, etc. are critical components of reading. And you know, we do teach those components along with, you know, uh you know, text rich context to, you know, have that kind of of of comprehension for students to absorb. So, Okay, do you think

006that you might be more emphasis on that or further Well, I I do I do think as we do a a redesign, uh just let me preface, I am speaking strictly from Manoa perspective. Uh as we do our redesign, we are currently in that process of working closely with the department in in uh revisiting and actually revising our literacy content as we speak. >> Okay. Okay, why don't you sit down and ask uh superintendent to come up? >> Okay. So, maybe um Dean, don't go far, Dean. Oh, cuz you're going to follow up with him. Okay, so superintendent, um you recently made a statement that the Department of Education will conduct statewide professional development in the science of reading. So, how Why is that necessary or is that lacking as far as teachers are not

007getting that teaching knowledge or or you know, while they're while they're going to getting their degree? Explain that. Yes, um teachers uh through um their experiences, um are are exposed to a variety of different instructional strategies related to reading. The department has been fortunate to uh um receive a CLSD grant. Uh [clears throat] in that uh comprehensive literacy development grant, uh through that grant, we are focused on the science of reading. That is uh one of the areas that uh the department is focused on in terms of reading instruction. Uh there are other strategies also though that help to support students' growth in reading and teacher professional development. Um but one of the areas that we are focused on is in the science of reading with the schools that are participating in the grant. Okay,

008I Yeah, I I feel that the science of reading is very important, but again, I'm wondering whether or not we need to do a better job at the level where the teachers are getting that >> [clears throat] >> you know, going to school for their degree, that it should be more than it would be less that the department has to then go back and be trained or be developed. I mean, I'm certainly there should be some further development down the line, but to what degree were you talking about when you said the department will conduct statewide professional development science of reading and then what that cost might be because if that should be taken care of what before they even, you know, become a teacher. We We do have um um different complex areas and

009schools that are participating in the CLSD grant, the federal grant. Uh we are also very fortunate to have a good relationship with um the University of Hawaii, College of Education at Manoa as well as the other um colleges that uh we do have articulation as I shared earlier through Hawaii P-20. Um and uh and I focus on that collaboration. Okay, so the grant, the federal grant, the CLSD grant. Yes. How How much [snorts] is it for and how long is it? Um I will ask Deputy Armstrong cuz she's a very instrumental in that grant. Hi, good afternoon. Heidi Armstrong. Um currently we're in year two of a five-year CLSD2 um grant. And the science to go back to your question, the science of reading is very important and the the pendulum swings and uh whole

010language was all of the talk for many years and um the department has adopted the science of reading model to teach students how to um read and write. Our curriculum and our standards support the science of reading modules um um science of reading tools um to teach a child to read. Through the CLSD2 grant, there is a work group that is um with the department and all of our higher ed institutions to talk about the science of reading and what um could be beneficial for um teachers in their undergraduate program to receive so that when they graduate with their degree, um they could be prepared. Those talks are underway. It would look different from elementary to high school, but every teacher can be a teacher of reading and so through the grant, that work group

011has been established and those talks have started. Okay, so you're in year two and the talks have already started as far as better better involvement by the university as they create the curriculum for teachers. Correct. And and we're we're sharing what we're doing, they're sharing their program and the purpose of the work group is to ensure that both um lower ed and higher ed are in alignment with the expectations. So, like you said, there doesn't have to be after a teacher graduates from a program, additional courses in order to teach the standards of the department. So, that that work has started. So, why why again I'm that statement that DOE will conduct statewide professional development in the science of reading. Still trying to get my arms around that. We are doing that so to ensure

012that every teacher has the tools that they need to instruct through the science of reading methodology. Some teachers come to us with that background and some teachers are benefiting from this professional development. >> Okay, but if we're teaching it or if they're getting it while they're getting the degree while they're going through the program, then why would we need to do this at That would be beneficial and that's what we're working toward. Okay, what happens at the end of the five years? We we are building capacity within our personnel. We're also collecting our bank of resources so that when the grant does go away, we are still equipped to carry on the work. That's the whole purpose of participating in the grant is to build that internal capacity. Okay, and with that would we get

013students that are graduating with the proper degree of reading? Because right now many students are graduating with lesser lesser grade level [clears throat] of reading. Yeah, from I can answer from the K-12 portion of the grant and our commitment to being part of a work group and then I'll turn it over to the university to finish the second half of your question. Okay. I'm not familiar with the work on the ground so I'm not sure if one of our subject matter knows about the grant. [clears throat] Yeah. I'm not on the committee but I Hello, my name is Stephanie Bellow. I'm a faculty in the College of Education. I'm personally not sitting on the CLSD work group grant that committee but from my colleagues that are serving on it, it's my understanding that they've been

014coming together with the institutes of higher ed in our state and faculty the Department of Education with conversations around structured literacy and best approaches to ensuring that all of our students are graduating with the ability to read and comprehend and engage in society proficient in reading. Okay. I guess I'm sitting here. >> [laughter] >> I mean, isn't that a basic reading is a basic that I've been around for centuries and it seems like only now we're looking at these types of programs to get students to learn to read. What What have we been doing 10 20 years ago? I mean I don't know. It doesn't seem odd that it's only now all of a sudden and you're in a year two of a five-year grant that will finally give us the light bulb goes off

015on how we're going to teach students to read. Am I being sarcastic about that? I mean, isn't that kind of weird? I can't speak to the work of the grant. I can speak to the five pillars of reading that were mentioned in the proposal and I would tell you that those were part of my preparation program over 25 years ago. I don't think that some of the content is new but there has been renewed efforts and interest to really focus instruction around best practices and evidence-based practices. And I and I would think I would say that teaching is a field where we are lifelong learners and constantly looking at our practice and in our development and our understanding and continually making sure that we're staying ahead and current with current research and practices. And I

016believe that that's the work of the grant although again I can't speak personally. I'm not on the grant. I didn't write the grant and I'm also not on that committee. >> I appreciate you saying that because it just seems your explanation is so plausible but it just seems that the way it's going about that it's going to take because five years into this grant and that if it's already embedded and you already have learned all that basics then shouldn't it be more simplistic in the how we agreed and and and renew or update the program instead of having to wait five years or go through a five-year program or five-year grant. Couldn't that grant money be used for something probably I don't know. I'm I'm not a teacher but it doesn't seem it seems very

017I don't like we're duplicating efforts or we're just spending money to spend money or I don't know. I would say that the reading process is a very complex process. That doesn't answer your question about the five years but you know, in terms of really coming to understand all that goes into how to read, it is a very complex process and there's a lot of different aspects to it in terms of you know, understanding what the sounds mean, putting them together, having the background knowledge to comprehend. Are we making it Are we making it more complicated than it is? I mean, when I learned, you know, See Dick run. See Jane chase Spot. See Spot. I mean, I I don't know. Was it that complicated when when I went to school and and yeah, I learned

018to read and beyond a you know, a level that allowed me to go to college and get a degree. So, I'm not sure what how complicated are we making this for our kids? Are we reading more into it than we should be or are we trying to you know, get them so confused and then they cannot they don't know how to read? I I don't know what what the issue is but certainly these questions should be asked because common sense tells you that I don't know if it wasn't broken, is it broken now? I would say that students perhaps like you and me, it wasn't it wasn't complicated at all for us because clearly we are here where we are today but there are students that do struggle with reading and I think part of

019the work that we've been doing is to make sure that we're serving all students and ensuring that everyone has what they need when they leave. >> Then why don't we just single out or or acknowledge those that have trouble and spend the money on them instead of trying to change the whole system um cuz again one size doesn't doesn't fit all. So, why wouldn't we be doing that instead of trying to just change everything or making it so complicated that again, I don't know if common sense is have a role in any of this. I do agree one size did not does not fit all which is why we were you know, against this legislation or I understand but then at the same time DOE is saying they want to go ahead and have this,

020you know, um exact words professional development in the science of reading. Conduct a statewide professional development science of reading. So, I'm just trying to figure out and add it up. Does it make sense? Are we Are we um spending funds and time on an area that maybe doesn't require this kind of level and if you embedded into their their learning as they are going through school, the teachers are going to school, shouldn't that satisfy that with periodic updates? I don't want to speak for the Department of Education. I will just say one last thing for teacher preparation and then maybe I'll turn it back to them. But in terms of teacher preparation, I think about learning to become a teacher and specifically learning to become a teacher who is able to teach all students how

021to read. I think of it as an iceberg and we're able to give them the tip of the iceberg in their pre-service programs but again I believe that they need to be lifelong learners and staying up current with current research and trends and that's what I don't want to speak to intentions but that's what it appears to be but maybe I should turn those questions back. >> spot but I'm just No, not at all. Not at all. Obviously it seems like my teachers didn't know how to teach people how to read but we did learn how to read. So, right? Thank you. DOE? Okay, see the dilemma that where I'm I'm in. I don't know if you share my dilemma but Yeah. Um Yeah, so I'm not sure if you can speak to this or

022not but how do you Do you folks have any kind of results since we're two years into three two years into the five years part of the program? Any kind of measurements so far? We do. We have data on the CLSD grant and what what has been accomplished. Um We do have results. This is CLSD 2 so we have results from CLSD 1. Yes. And then after the five years, do you folks will be intending on appropriating funds if this needs to be further I think the the grant is much more comprehensive than just the components of the science of reading. It talks about literacy coaching. It talks about the different interventions for what you were just discussing before, the different needs of different learners. So, it is comprehensive and the science of reading is

023one component of that. Do some of our teachers have that understanding? Absolutely. And even those that do, like it was just shared, teachers are lifelong learners and it never hurts to hear information again and to continue learning. So, it's not a detriment to those who understand and can implement the science of reading, but it is a great benefit for those who haven't had Yeah. Well, I think it hurts when taxpayers are funding for programs to teach teachers to teach students how to read. So, I think that's where, at least as far as my perspective is is trying to hold in on the funding mechanism part of it. Where right now you guys are getting grants. Um, but this is a continual pattern that we see with Department of Education that when these position fundings run

024out, come over to the ledge. When these programs fundings run out, you come over to the ledge. So, again, um, I think just being able to be fiscally responsib- responsible and tightening up on that. Sure. Yeah, just to follow up. I agree that, you know, it doesn't hurt. Of course it doesn't hurt. But again, in the priority of things, you know, are we getting the money down to the classroom? Are we identifying those kids that really need the additional help and how is this funding can go directly to help them than trying to redo a whole program to make sure, cuz we're never going to catch everybody in one whole program. You got to identify the ones that need help and then go from there. So, again, I hope the department are really focusing in

025on how are we helping those that needs to be helped and not necessarily trying to trying to again do professional development for all when when it's not necessarily um, needed as far as our funding wise. Cuz we don't have enough We don't have all the money in the world. If we did, yes, but we don't. And I think DOE somehow forget that because they just keep adding and your budget keeps growing. It's 1/3 of the budget. So. No, no, but exactly and to your point, that is the focus of the CLSD2 grant um, is to focus on what we call tier two and tier three, the students who didn't get it or are not getting it the first time and really honing in on those kids. So, so what you said um, just now is

026correct. Thank you. So, I'm going to ask you H. So, how would you recommend us amending this resolution? >> [laughter] >> I think that the recommendation is to think about how you integrate this type of learning across the curriculum. Another piece of the science of learning as I've come to understand in the last few days as we're learning about it is that for Hawaii, there's a lot to do with uh, second language students and multicultural learners that would be useful that isn't the underlying thrust of the science of learning curriculum, which is more of a national a national curriculum that doesn't think about the unique context of Hawaii. So, for us, I think what's important is to try to adapt those techniques to our local context. So, the if the there were amendments that allowed

027us to have that flexibility, I think it would be useful. >> don't you why don't you propose some language >> tomorrow. Okay. some language for this. That sounds good. Um, okay. Anybody need anything Okay, thank you. Moving on. Cuz I I don't just want to pass a res to pass a res. I want to make sure it has some teeth in it. Um, Sen- Senate Concurrent Resolution 14, SR 107. This is requesting the auditor to conduct quarterly performance and management audits of the Department of Education and its attached agencies. Uh, we have Keith Hayashi. Hello, Chair Kim. Senate Committee on Education. Keith Hayashi, Superintendent, testifying on behalf of the Department of Education. The department stands on its written testimony, which provides comments on this measure. The WASC Department of Education supports the overall the oversight

028goals of SCR 114 and SR 107, but urges the legislature to narrowly define the scope of the proposed performance and management audit to minimize the diversion of resources away from the department's primary educational mission. Thank you for the opportunity to testify. Thank you. Office of the Auditor. Les Kondo, [clears throat] thank you for being here. Good afternoon. Afternoon. I'm Les Kondo, I'm the auditor. Um, this this resolution requests that we do four performance audits every year of the Department of Education. >> to see you four times a year. I don't think [laughter] I think the department is welcome to see me more often. Um, uh, the next resolution that you're considering is also another request to do a performance audit Department of Education at different levels of upper management positions. There's a resolution on Wednesday

029that also asks us to do audit of the Department of Education's CIP projects. We can't do it all. We don't even have the capacity to do the audit that's the four audits that's requested annually in this resolution. Uh, I do have a suggestion. >> Mhm. So, we have issued three two audits and a report about the Department of Education, different programs, different aspects, small programs within the last year or so, starting with the report about the Department of Education's implementation of the air conditioning initiative. I know my time is up. Go ahead. Continue. Um, and we issued another report about the Department of Education's driver education program, an audit of that program, and more recently an audit of the department's farm-to-school program or or achieving the meals mandate that the legislature established. That one was

030issued about a month or so ago, a little over a month ago. In all three uh, reports, uh, the primary finding that's consistent in all three is we found the department did not have any any controls, no policies, no procedures with respect to any three of those programs that they're in charge of or charged to implement. So, I assume that the reason why we have these three resolutions is because the legislature or the introducer of the resolutions feels like there's some concerns or issues with whatever as- aspect of the Department of Education that we're asked to review. Um, because of the consistent lack of controls that we've identified in the past three audits and and the one report, my thought would be, and I don't know what the audit plan is of the internal audit

031office, but my thought would be that may be a different opportunity to address the concerns that the introducers of these resolutions, you know, may have because the internal audit office is in charge or responsible for ensuring that the department appropriately manage risks. And those risks would be managed through proper controls, meaning policies, procedures, other ways to ensure that the program achieves its mission in accordance with how management has decided the mission should be achieved and that also allows management to be able to review and assess performance by those who are charged directly with the day-to-day operations. So, without knowing what the office of internal audits audit program would be, uh, without knowing how the Board of Education may consider amending that audit program so that they could address some of the concerns that these three

032resolutions are requesting us to audit, perhaps that's a different way to achieve some assurance that the department does in fact have controls in place, they have identified the risks that would cause the program not to achieve whatever its purpose or mission is. Uh, and maybe that's a different way that could more effectively and efficiently achieve the legislature's goal of understanding whether there's a structure in place that ensures or helps to minimize the risk to achieving whatever the pur- purpose of the program is. Hope that was understandable. I'm happy to answer any questions, but that would be my thought and I like I said earlier, we just don't have the capacity to do four audits a year, let alone the other two audits that are requested in the other two concurrent resolutions. Thank you. Anyone else

033wishing to testify this measure? You were the last one to testify, that's why I said to continue. Um, >> [clears throat] >> not giving you special treatment. Uh, anyone else? Questions? Um, Department of Transportation? Transportation. Uh, education. Sorry, we have a water main breaking on the freeway, so have transportation on my mind. Thank you, Superintendent. >> [laughter] >> So, um, so in your testimony you had mentioned that um, uh, these audits being conducted would take away from operational um, duties and responsibilities. Whose Whose responsibility is it to provide the information to the state auditor? Um, in whichever area that the >> Performance as example. Wh- whatever area that the auditor um, asks of us of the department, uh, depending on what area that is, it would be the personnel in that area that would need

034to gather all of the information based on the request from the auditor. Okay. You know what? Do you mind if I pull up the state auditor at the same time? Yeah. Really quick. So, thank you so much. Um, uh, when you request for information from Department of Education, how long typically does it take you to receive the information so you can conduct your audit? Well, um, it could be a week, it could be a couple weeks. It depends on what information we're requesting. Air conditioning, uh that report. We never got some of the information because the department either didn't maintain it or it was lost somehow. Uh other programs where they have the information, it's not like it it's relatively They're relatively responsive if that's the question. If they have the information, yes. >> So,

035it sounds like you guys are able to turn over your data or your reporting fairly within a reasonable amount of time. Um do you think that it might be possible to redirect this conversation to supporting these efforts saying, "If it doesn't On a best-case scenario, take maybe about a week." I think administratively if we work that >> The time that it takes, uh we're we're very uh it's very important for us to get the auditor the auditor the information that he needs. So, what it does though in that amount of time, it does take our personnel that's it within that respective area um to do the research, do the data collection, and so forth, uh which is very extensive. So, we're able to get the information to the auditor in what whatever period of time

036that it takes, um but it does pull our personnel away from the work that they're doing. So, they they're able to answer the state auditor's questions. >> And and just to be clear, these people that are gathering this research and this information would probably be deputy superintendents. >> it would be at all levels. Okay. So, therefore, the we'll just say theoretically it's deputy superintendents just for the sake of the conversation, they they would have a staff that would be able to research this, correct? The the information based on whatever audit area that the state auditor is doing uh would be um it's a comprehensive audit, so it's at all levels that we need to pull Yeah. >> our people to be able to answer the questions. >> May I comment on that? Yes. Uh I

037think that often or most often we do not ask for records from the deputy superintendent. It's down at the program level. Oh, okay. Yeah. I I I personally believe transparency and accountability is well worth the week worth of data or maybe a few weeks worth of data to provide that transparency to taxpayers. This process takes a long time uh because partly because we follow audit standards. Uh farm to school, we had a birthday on the audit meaning it lasted longer than a year. It was about a 13-month audit. So, not withstanding the fact that we're getting documents within a week or a couple weeks, we're we're interviewing people and scheduling those, you know, per their, you know, where where they have uh availability. That process it takes a long time and often we're interviewing people

038multiple times, people down at the program level that are critical for us to understand what the program looks like and then again later on when we have objectives to understand what they do with respect to that specific audit objective. So, it's a process, so it is not it is not as simple or as quick as oh, it's only 1 week. It is a it is a process. So, do you find this to be uh pretty common when you audit other departments? It seems to get really convoluted. The process doesn't change partly because we are following government auditing standards. The cooperation that we get from departments, it does vary. So, Department of Education is certainly on the on the plus side. We have issues now with some ongoing audits about the information that we're able to

039get and the timeliness of that information. Uh I say that about the department, but we had issues with whether or not they had documents, where the documents were. So, when they are able to locate documents, they are very responsive in providing us those documents. There are documents that you'd expect them to have that they don't have, that's a different issue. I will say, if I can just make another comment, I didn't see the superintendent's testimony and I appreciate the fact that he values an audit because we are a resource for the legislature, the public, and the department to provide some free assessment as to how the program is performing. But really, the first level of that is his office and below. They should be assessing program performance and holding people accountable for doing their job.

040Our job is to come in and help you folks understand how a program that you've created and you fund, how even though you're getting reports from the department, how they're really doing. So, we got to dig deeper than perhaps you guys got to dig, and that's our value. But there's still responsibility by management to do its job, which means to hold the department accountable and the people who running programs accountable for doing their job and achieving program mission and program goals. In the audits that I mentioned or the report and the two audits, certainly that was not the case. That they were not achieving the mission or the goals of both of those programs or in being able to be accountable for the $100 million that was appropriated to the department to air-condition the 1,000

041classrooms. And that is why these resolutions and these audits are surfacing because of those things. And the fact that, you know, you shouldn't have to wait for an audit to know what is going on and what is faulty in your area. Uh I watched the whole the whole presentation to the Board of Education on the food the local food >> Farm to school. Farm to school. And, you know, I kept hearing from Sean saying, "Oh, you know, we really appreciate the audit. You've pointed out all of these things. Now we know what to do. Now we're going to do it." What do you mean now? What do you mean you you needed an audit to tell you that? And that's the problem. The you guys need audits to tell you folks everything and that's shouldn't

042be. It shouldn't be putting the cart before the horse. Oh, just to clarify the farm to school audit, Senator. Uh we do we do appreciate the state auditor's um recommendations that he provided to us for the farm to school audit. I think what Assistant Superintendent was sharing was that um we are in the process we have already started actually all of the processes to address the recommendation I think it was 15 recommendations of the of the state auditor. Um I think what what was also shared I watched the whole thing, so I know. >> Okay. I know what he shared. Okay. And still, I think that you folks are far behind what you should have been doing. And you don't have shouldn't have to wait for an auditor and that is why we're saying that

043because it's through the auditor every single one of the of the audits, the last three, four audits had the same problem. And the fact that you don't even have the records is another issue. So, you know, they were left without it being able to to do a lot. And again, this falls on the department. The um the audit that um that she's referring to uh for the um the air conditioning audit, uh that was actually uh if I'm not mistaken, the that project started um I know it [clears throat] started way before you. But the people some of the people in your departments have been there were there for it and they should have gotten the records. And whether they did or didn't, the people that came in after, you hired them to do a

044job and they should be doing that job. And yet, they wait for an audit to to figure out that we don't have the records? I mean, that's terrible. And and and the driver's ed audit, Senator, um we we did I I believe by the time we um responded to the audit, uh we had all all of the recommendations were met except for I believe one that had to do with uh uh um statute. Administrative >> Administrative rules. Thank you. Yeah, but superintendent, you didn't even know that that the program was mandatory. You wrote a whole letter 3 months later after they had asked for you to to comment and you didn't and 3 months later you sent in a letter um saying you don't agree with everything he put forward and when he came back

045then you said, "Oh, yeah, okay, you're right." I mean, come on. Right? You didn't even know that. I don't know. That's not acceptable. Any other questions? on this. Okay. Thank you. Okay, we are moving on to SR 198 and SR um requesting the auditor to conduct a comprehensive performance and fiscal audit of the governance structure of the administrative leadership of the Department of Education. And again, Superintendent, you are up. Okay. Chair, Vice Chair, Senator Hashimoto, Tammy Chun, Deputy Superintendent. Uh we provided a lot of detail and references and links in the written testimony, but I'll summarize. The Department of Education shares the legislature's goal of ensuring that funds are used efficiently and to maximize resources for learning. We respectfully offer comments on this resolution. We have a number of um steps in place that cover

046the content of this particular resolution regarding the administration of the Department of Education. So, first of all in terms of the types of review we're doing of uh executive administration. One, we could um the Board Audit Committee, the Board of Education restarted a standalone audit committee. Second, uh we conducted a external review of state office organizational the state office organization uh in 2024. We are taking action on those recommendations from the Council of Great City Schools. Third, we have been in the process of reorganization looking at our starting with our state offices. Um that includes having the Board of Education approve any changes regarding establishing or abolishing a new office or complex state level office or complex area. Um we have completed 11 reorganizations that were effective as of July 1, 2025 or in the

047process of doing another 18 reorganizations of state offices this year. Fourth, regarding fiscal and performance data, um the Department of Education completed an executive compensation study last year. We have on the Board of Education uh established performance targets for the Department of Education that are incorporated in the superintendent's evaluation. And finally, we do an annual fiscal and compliance audit. So, we are proactive in looking at these issues identified in the resolution. Thank you. >> you. Office of the auditor. Les Kondo in the auditor's um I don't think I have anything to add more than what I was talking about on the first uh concurrent resolution. I'm happy to answer any questions specific to this resolution. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. Johnny Mae Perry? If you or anyone else wishing to testify on this measure. Hearing

048none, uh questions. Tammy? Um so, all of this work that you folks are doing and all of these um reorganizations, any of it then reveal that the superintendent couldn't create positions that last longer than 1 year? The um the current work we're doing did not address the issue of creating the topic you just mentioned. >> goes back to governance, right? This goes back with why we're asking for audits. Goes back to the whole governance issue. The fact that we don't even know that, isn't that troublesome? That it's in the statute and we don't know or the DOE does not know? So, so just to be to be clear, um we are aware of the Hawaii Revised Statutes 302A that gives superintendent authority um to create temporary positions. The work that we've been doing around reorganization

049is separate than that particular issue. >> that ordinance, I mean, that law, right? The next line says it. So, when you guys look at the law, you guys don't see the rest of the law? I mean, it's not a big old 10-page thing. It's half a page. Half a page, like five sentences. That's and it's right there. So, so so I guess, Senator, I'm trying to I I want to be responsive to your question, but trying to unders- to to understand um Well, okay. >> what you're asking in terms of the the work we're doing with reorganization. >> asking is you folks are saying that that you don't want this reorgan- you don't want this resolution because you're doing all of these things, right? And I'm saying that yes, you're doing all of these things.

050So, what is that going to make you more cognizant of what's in the law? Is it going to make you folks I mean, better? No, it doesn't seem to. So, so I would say that we are um the reorganizations are making us are making us better. It's making things more aligned. >> you better, right? It's the audits. Obviously, these are things that any reorganization have not have not un- uncovered. I guess, Senator, I would say that the audits cover very have covered that um the auditor has mentioned have covered very specific subject matter and the particular work we're doing is broader than um what the audits have covered. Okay. Thank you. Yeah, um if you could stay Thank you so much. Uh in your uh testimony you had shared about the uh boards' uh audit

051committee overseeing um compliance and controls. Uh And I think my concern is that how how is that oversight I guess translate into Cuz right now this department is is really top-heavy right now. And so, uh I see the boards' audit committee as being more of a conflict than it is for providing transparency and accountability. So, um I guess I'll take the statements in order. So, the first one is um when we look at data comparing the Hawaii Department of Education to other districts and to other states, um we are not top-heavy. Our percent spent on administration is less than our counterparts, our peer organizations. >> to other districts, you guys are not top-heavy. What districts What We're talking about the whole department. >> we look at the um national count the NCES data, the National

052Commission on Education of the States that compares information across the different states, we have less spent on administration than other um states, for example. And we have similar information about districts. So, we have more of our resources in terms of the budget um being spent at our for our schools. I mean, it's it's a little unfair to say that you folks are not as top-heavy compared to other states because we have a much smaller population. So, I don't know what you're comparing that to. So, that would be when we compare on similar metrics such as percent of budget. Or when we look at the percentage of um our ratio of administrators to students or we would find that we're have more efficient administratively or spending less administratively than peers. But but to the audit question,

053you also asked questions about the audit committee. Um so, the audit committee uh it had been consolidated with the boards' FIT committee, finance and infrastructure committee, and then recently separated as a stand-alone committee. Uh I think the committee is in the idea would be to bring the audits to that committee and I I think that um just brings more transparency to the process. So, has the boards' audit committee ever found the same reportings that our state auditor has found, whether it be with the ACs in the classroom, driver's license, uh food to table, farm to table um reports that the state auditor has found? So, the um the committee the stand-alone committee was recently reestablished, the stand-alone audit committee of the board was recently reestablished and it met last month and it it reviewed the

054farm to to school and I believe Senator was referencing that she watched that that he that um meeting. So, this is a new committee? Um >> Or new members? Um it's newly established as a stand-alone committee with its own um charter. I have to see the change. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I just I just don't see how um Yeah. Go ahead, chair. No, I mean, it's it's interesting how it has to be a stand-alone before the audit audit division or audit committee or whatever it was embedded into the board then would follow follow these things. I mean, it's just again mind-boggling that we got to go through these different cut steps before we get true audits or true true um reports on what is actually going on in the department and the department should be

055knowing what that is. Do you have a question for the auditor? >> [clears throat] >> So, I understand your testimony and I understand that some of these were asking for large bites and that you want us to narrow it down >> [clears throat] >> um possibly or or moving it over to the internal office, which I will be do making some recommendations. So, in the light of the fact that the DOE didn't even know that they could create positions or the superintendent could create positions, but it was 1 year uh limited. So, do you think that an audit on uh the process of the superintendent in creating these positions could be audited? I think so. I think that perhaps there would also be a part of that maybe that we would also consider looking at

056or legislature could consider asking us to look at the Board of Education's oversight over that. I mean, the board's responsible for holding the superintendent accountable. Okay. So, an audit of the process by which the administrative and program positions are created. You could do that and that um also the Board of Education's role in that. Is that what you're saying? And then what about um looking at the um the review of the department's supervision and evaluations of area complex area superintendents. We we can do that for sure. Okay. So, if we know that >> a process that we can look at. Uh I think with the committee, my suggestion would be that uh because there's so many audits in the legislature that are being requested and then more specifically to the Department of Education, that there

057needs to be some process by which the committee or maybe the legislature more generally prioritizes the ones that they think are more important to them. Honestly, for me personally, I would suggest the CIP projects, looking at the CIP program that the department has and their process to oversee and manage that program, which is the concurrent resolution that's set for Wednesday. That to me sounds much more interesting than assessing the superintendent's authority to to uh to create temporary positions and the oversight of CASs. I got you, but but I I suppose though from the last few years, I recall there being issues with money's lapsing and uh I mean, we see schools that are not construction not moving forward. >> thought you're going to find that interesting to do. So. Anyway, thank you very much. >>

058Thank you. Any other questions, members? Okay. If not, we are moving on. Uh we are on Senate Concurrent Resolution 101, Senate Resolution 95, urging Department of Education, in coordination with the Board of Education, to develop a plan to transition the school buses used for public transportation to electric buses to extend the benefits already demonstrated in other places. Um, we have Department of uh Education. Good afternoon, Chair, uh Vice Chair, members of the committee. Jesse Souki, Deputy Superintendent of Operations. Uh, we provide comments on this resolution, um, but in summary, um, we support the intent of the bill um to reduce the carbon footprint of the state uh and the DOE, but we have some concerns about um the resolution as proposed. Um, the Department doesn't have a fleet of buses. It's through vendors. Um, the

059cost is uh very prohibitive as we talk about in our testimony. Um, the infrastructure for charging is not there at the moment, something that the Department doesn't control. And um the third point we wanted to make was that there used to be an EPA federal program that uh provided support for this kind of um transition, but um the current administration has stopped that program, so that opportunity is no longer there. Thank you for the opportunity to comment. Um, let's see. Anyone else wishing to testify on this measure? Hearing none, questions? Members, any questions? Senator Hashimoto. DUI. So, so I guess when when they had this specific program in place, um did the DOE actually seriously consider what were the pros and the cons of trying to accommodate something like this? My my understanding is that

060um we did um support um vendors who were interested um in um benefiting from the program. It's a reimbursement program, so they need to up front purchase the bus, um, put the bus that they're replacing out of service, show evidence of that, and other other things before they get the reimbursement through the Department through the EPA. Um, we know of um well, I know of one um charter school that was able to take advantage of the program. So, when when was the Department uh did the Department ever embark on a study to see if, you know, it would be less expensive for you to own the bus and then let the third party then run it. Right? Like, I think that's how I'm sure that's how the city and I know Maui County operates in

061that manner. They they they own the physical asset, but there's a third party, you know, contractor maintaining it and running it. To just get a baseline understanding of you know, is there any synergies or efficiencies because I think that's how they um are being able [clears throat] to achieve these at least hybrid buses at this point. Mhm. Right? Versus I don't see any progress at least in the school bus side of it. Yeah, the I think the um the way the bus for the city is run is is real different. Um, they have an economies of scale. They have many more routes. Um and um they they own the fleet, um, but they, you know, have uh a contract um for um operators, which the city pays for. Um They do have some electric buses

062for the shorter in-town routes. Um You know, it's just really different for how DOE runs its bus system. We We do have um and I'm aware of we have done sort of a back of the napkin kind of assessment of, you know, if we were to bring all the buses in-house and we ran it, how much it would cost, and it's significantly more than >> we're asking. That would be That's not what we want. I think you what you got to look at is are there models out there that we can look at and and potentially adapt to. But I think the first thing is just seeing if there's some type of feasibility assessment. So, you guys haven't done that then. Well, I have my uh bus administrator here. Just let me turn and see.

063Have we in the past done an assessment like that? No. Is cuz what are there federal funds that we're leaving on the table that we know of? Not not at this time cuz the program was Right, right, but there are Is there no other ways uh federal DOT or anything else that you know that we're not getting access to? We can certainly explore that. We're supportive again of the intent. Because I think if if if you say that, you know, it's it's not necessarily working, you got to look at a lot of the the school districts on the mainland. There there must be something to it if they a lot of them are owning their own buses, right? They don't necessarily contract it out cuz they have their school district all across the United States.

064They they own those buses likely or they have some type of um own you know, some some some type of partnership that allows them to put their name on it. So, I would assume there there's something out there that we may be missing or or, you know, are you are you Can you bifurcate? Is there a different model for the neighbor islands versus Oahu, right? Is But I think if we're just going to keep doing the status quo, it doesn't help any of us because you know, we're just not going to change and we don't know if we're not going to continually assess, right? So, I hope I hope that we can start to look at it. I think that that to me this that was the spirit of the reso, I I think to

065but I think we we have a lot of area that we can we we should be continually looking at to to make this more efficient. I know it's not a core function, but I think it's a really important business function of the DOE. I I agree. That we should continuously look into it. I do. Yes. Thank you, Chair. Do you have any other questions, members? >> [clears throat] >> Okay, thank you. Thank you. Senate Concurrent Resolution 113, SR 106, requesting Department of Education to submit a report to the legislature detailing farm-to-school implementation, local food procurement, regional kitchen alignment, and federal farm-to-school uh grant participation. And we do have the Department of Education. No. Good afternoon, Chair, Vice Chair, members of the committee. Jesse Souki, Deputy Superintendent of Operations. Um, we stand on our testimony with

066comments, but essentially uh in summary, our testimony is asking that um we not repeat what's already required by statute. Um, we report many of these items in 302A-405.6. And the part that the reso that talks about um local purchasing, um, we're actually working on a strategic plan um to as in a response to the audit to get that local purchasing um strategic plan in place. So, we'd like the um opportunity and flexibility to report on these items through those um existing uh work activity that we're doing. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Sharon Hurd. Um, Department of Ag. Not here. And Johnny Me Perry in support. Not here. Okay, members, questions. I just have a question, Chair. Um, Jesse. Okay. So, this resolution was was introduced by Senator Dela Cruz, and he is well aware of

067the farm-to-school, the regional kitchen. He's well aware of the audit. So, why do you think he's Why do you think this resolution is being introduced? I I'm already reporting all of this, and he's very much aware of these things. Yeah, I I'm not sure this Did he guys contact you to ask? Not not yet. Why not? Well, you folks knew about this. You obviously said you wanted it to it to be combined. And we're already responded. So, why wouldn't you contact the author of the measure to find out why? Obviously, there's areas that it's probably not satisfactory. Um, that's already passed or I would assume that he's very much aware of all of this. Right? I I would assume he's very involved. Yes. So, why wouldn't you have contacted him? Um, we will. That's a

068good recommendation. I'm sorry that we haven't. Okay. Any other questions, members? Hearing none, thank you. Okay, SR 194, uh SR 183. Uh, this is urging Department of Education to meet the criteria necessary to officially recognize cheerleading as a Title IX sport in Hawaii. And we have Sure, we have Department of Education. Yes. Okay, and then we have Good afternoon, Chair Kim, members of the committee. Shawn Bacon speaking on behalf of the Department. Uh, the Department stands on its written testimony in support of this measure. Uh, just to give a little bit of context, too, in 2024, the DOE recently initiated girls flag football. Additionally, this past school year, we um surfing was recognized as a sport. And I think recognizing cheerleading as a sport will provide additional opportunities for our students. So, uh we stand

069right ready for any questions. Thank you. Uh Yazmin Shane. I'm sorry. I didn't say your name correctly. Good afternoon. >> Good afternoon. >> Yazmin Shane for the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women. Tortilla, that's what you got to always remember. The two L's are like a Y. Okay. >> Um, >> [laughter and clears throat] >> I stand on our written testimony in support of these resos because equitable access to athletic opportunities is a core component of gender equity and title nine remains a critical tool in ensuring that women and girls receive fair treatment in educational settings including sports. Thank you for your consideration and support. Thank you. Jodi Lynn Bill in support Susan Hause also in support. Anyone else wishing to testify on this measure? If not, Senator you have a backup? We

070certainly appreciate the fact I don't know if everybody is certainly I do appreciate the fact that women's girls flag football Correct. was instituted. How long has girls flag football been around? I'm going to turn it over to our gender equity and athletics administrator Dana Takahara Diaz to help answer a few of these questions. >> Aloha, thank you for the question. So we are proud to say that we are in our second year of a full-fledged girls flag football season. But how how long before that was was there any kind of organized flag football for girls? Not at the interscholastic level, but it is a [clears throat] very big sport in the community youth level. >> Okay. How long has cheerleading been around? It has been around since 1999 with the Maui league having the first

071competition. >> Okay, so why is it that cheerleading has not been considered a sport and you did flag football before you even did cheerleading? That is a very good question and I really appreciate it. We are under federal court law that in 2010 did not recognize competitive cheer as a title nine sport. But most importantly to note that the courts left the competitive cheer open. It didn't bar having competitive cheer as a sport, but it needed to be better organized with rules and a robust schedule. So that's where we're at now in Hawaii and that's where the current where we exist is we are working towards meeting the criteria as based by the office for civil rights US Department of Education. Good evening, are you saying 2010? This is 2026. So yes. You guys had

07216 years to figure out how to organize cheerleading? You did women's girls flag football within no time at all. So we're I'm not barring or saying we shouldn't have that. I'm just saying how how do we have a sport like cheerleading that's been around for decades? Yes. And you folks knew from 2010 you need to organize it better, but it didn't take place. So there are 31 states including the District of Columbia that recognizes competitive cheer as a title nine sport. So we are one of the emerging sports that we believe with some changes in our interscholastic competitive cheer program to have a robust competitive season, we will meet the criteria as stated in the office of civil rights. So that's where we're at today. >> where you're at today. I'm just saying why only

073today? How come you folks weren't there 2015, 2016? I mean why why has it taken 2020, 2021? Why has it taken so long to not acknowledge cheerleading which although has boys in it, but is primarily a girls sport? You are absolutely correct and last year our numbers we had over 500 student athletes across the state. >> You're making my argument. Again, why has it taken again the department this long? Maybe you can answer that. That's a very good question, but I think what we're really wanting to do is ensure that we're trying to have equitable access for all of our students across the department. >> Yes. Yes, we've been wanting that for day one of cheerleading or maybe day year year 10 of cheerleading. We're into we're I don't understand. Why do you guys drag

074your feet when it comes to women's women's sports and and we know we know that there needs equity. We know it has to be done. Um but why why is it taking so long? And why do we have to do a resolution? I know you're saying you're doing it, but again Yeah, I mean it's it's in the pipeline for us to continue to do at this point right now. I mean for >> when is it going to be official and done? So we are recognizing the fact that we are meeting the criteria. So the leagues all four public school leagues are working right now to increase their number of competitions. So this next school year you will find all leagues having a robust competitive season that's aligned with other varsity sports. So that was the

075only component Senator Kim that we did not meet for OCR standards to count that as a title nine sport. So now we are working to ensure that our criteria is met with a robust competitive season. So when will it start when there's actually a So we are very hopeful. We have had meetings that every league is committed to increasing their number of competitions next school year. So not this coming school year. We have already completed our competitive season. Our cheer was in the fall. Okay, so it's going to be Okay, but so the fall of 2026. No? Yes, we That is That is our goal. That is your your goal to make it >> All leagues will meet the criteria. >> How were you guys able to do flag girls flag football so fast? That

076one was a unique sport because it did not have current case law that stated it wasn't a sport and that we met the criteria based on the office of civil rights and that was a joint partnership between donations and the NFL and we were able to get that sport going in two years time, but it was something that was in the works. There was discussions previous about flag football, but we're very grateful that the timing was right to add a new sport for the girls flag. Okay, any other questions? Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. SR 195 and N19 requesting the Board of Education in collaboration with the Department of Education to revise public high school graduation requirements to include successful completion of a standard stand-alone financial literacy course. Our recommendation is Okay. Keith Hayashi

077Board of Education I mean Board of Ed. Department of Education or Heidi >> [clears throat] >> Good afternoon Chair Kim, members of the committee. Heidi Armstrong Department of Education. The Department provided comments on SCR 195 and in our comments we highlighted our upcoming 2026-27 school year requirement for students to complete a flexible standards-aligned financial literacy opportunity before graduation. Okay, thank you. >> Thank you. David Miss Sheryl testifying for Hawaii Kids Can Aloha. Aloha. Aloha Chair Kim, Senator DeCourt, Senator Hashimoto. We are in strong support of this measure. I was actually part of the working group established by the Department of Ed and Board of Ed in 2024 and I'll never forget we had a student representative I believe from Campbell High School and she said whether or not we make financial literacy mandatory in our

078schools, it is mandatory in real life. So we can't avoid it. We had a grant to go out and engage with community members and students across every island and continually we heard this is one of their number one concerns. They see a world with cryptocurrency, with gambling, with AI. There was just a headline in the New York Times that said young graduates face the grimmest job market in years. So the PTP is a good start. Putting financial literacy in there is a good start, but it won't fully address equity concerns. And lastly in the fall the Department had collected a number of testimonials through a public survey. We have not seen those results yet and we also haven't had a further conversation or debate at the Board of Ed level about graduation requirements. So the

079PTP decision was done outside of the board discussion. Thank you. Thank you. You might want to sit there. We have Johnny May Perry who's not here, so David can you come forward? >> [clears throat] >> So you sat on the task force. Correct. Right? And the task task force expressed concern that PTP integration may be too late for effective instruction. Is that Yes. correct? And stand-alone course identified as a preferred pathway to ensure skills support and accountability. Right? True. So was that all shared with the DOE and with the Board of Education? Yes, so the task force the the role of the task force was not to select one path forward, but really debate the pros and cons and it had folks come from every walk of life there including financial organizations. But yes, that

080those were some of the the challenges that are brought up and I believe the report itself was something like 160 pages. So that was presented to the Board of Education I believe that summer summer of 2024, but there was no action taken. It was purely a So they had enough time to read the Correct. Yeah, and as far as we've tracked the board agendas, there hasn't actually been a formal agenda item looking at the graduation requirements to add financial literacy. In January of this year the Department announced the change related to PTP, but I think because PTP is already part of the existing graduation requirements, anything that goes into the cocktail that makes up the PTP doesn't necessarily need board approval, which is why I think putting the financial literacy piece there happens so abruptly

081in in my opinion. So, why do you think they didn't want to put it so that the board approves? I mean, why would they just stick it in as a cocktail and not as a main course? I speculating. Um I do think that in order to provide a high-quality and I focus on high-quality um financial literacy experience for every single graduating um student, there will be a you know, a conversation about money and priorities and timing and schedules, right? But again, uh as that young woman shared in the task force meeting, this our students are going to be expected to deal with a world that requires them to have financial literacy. And so, I think it's worth the time, the effort, and money to discuss how to make that possible and so that we're not

082sending our kids out into a world once they cross that stage. And they're being taken advantage of scams all over social media, cryptocurrency, and people losing their meager life savings. Um and so, I think uh if there is a conversation worth having, this is one of those topics that absolutely should be at the board level. So, what are you guys doing as a as a group to urge or to get the Board of Education to recognize this and to have a discussion, full-on discussion about it? We've reached out to a number of the board members, and so I don't know I don't the process for getting an item on the board agenda isn't always the clearest to me. Um but we've been, you know, as much as possible kind of raising awareness to them. And

083like I said, we've had a grant-funded campaign to actually go out and have conversations with community. So, we've done our own survey and I've shared those results with each of the board members and the board staff as well. So, I hope that there will be some board agenda item in the near future where we can kind of give this uh give this topic the the time it deserves. So, do you think we need to look at makeup of the board to ensure that we have accountability by the board in some of these areas that the legislature itself has introduced bills, not just resolutions, but bills um to have um financial literacy as part of the um not an elective and not where students can just go in when when they have time to watch a

084video, that it be embedded into the whole curriculum and possibly the require a requirement for graduation. Um that obviously I don't know there. Your report isn't not enough for for them to be held accountable to why they haven't even had a discussion. My guess is that um I think unlike uh the legislature, folks don't necessarily know the Board of Education members. And so, while you folks meet with students and, you know, the State Student Council and some of these different organizations, and again, if you spend any time with students and ask them what they care about, financial literacy is inevitably going to come up. But the Board of Education, as far as I've seen, doesn't necessarily have the same mechanisms for providing that engagement cuz I'm sure if board members spoke with students as often

085as I do, as often as you folks do, um I would hope that financial literacy would rise to the level of priority. So, may I think it's a good conversation about the makeup of the board. >> We have a We have and I have encouraged that the board or member of the board is present at these hearings because the at these hearings, we hear these measures, we hear from the public, they can hear from us. And every time we've heard this measure, it's always been supportive of financial literacy. For them not to know or understand that, um and yes, they're volunteers, but they agreed to serve. And so, are they shirking their responsibilities by not even have a discussion or have a board agenda item? And today, we have nobody from the Board of Education

086here, do we? So, again, um they're they seem to not be taking this thing seriously or taking our committee or the legislature or the public's view seriously to be involved or be on Zoom or be in this hearing, um which is very troubling. I agree. Are there any questions? Any questions? So, so I guess, you know, what So, was there any action at the board then? It was So, it was just an overview of the PTP, and that was the discussion at the board from my understanding. From what I remember about that board agenda is so, there were three different task forces at the time that were created. Uh and basically, they're looking at these hot topics that come up every year at the legislature. So, computer science, financial literacy, and then I believe civic

087engagement. Um I was part of the computer science and financial literacy. And what they did is they took each of those three reports and then brought it to the board um for awareness and discussion. But again, uh my memory serving me correctly or not, I don't remember a follow-up meeting where any formal action was taken on either of those three uh potential graduation requirements. So, um I think one of the hopes with a resolution like this is that it does build some momentum to actually have that vote one day, and students actually have that high-quality financial literacy experience before they graduate. Do we get the theory? Yep. Theory, please. Thank you. Thank you. Theory. Thanks for being here. So, I I guess maybe you can explain to us cuz my understanding was there there was

088going to be some, you know, deeper dive into financial literacy. And I guess I'm just trying to get my wrap my head around of what action actually happened on your commitment to financial literacy. >> Yep, you are correct. And the department has adopted the Jumpstart Financial Literacy Standards. So, any program that is approved to be used for financial literacy does address all of these national standards, not just hopping on for 30 minutes to learn financial literacy. So, the department is absolutely committed. We've heard the students as well um to implementing um a robust financial literacy curriculum in our secondary schools. So, starting in school year 2026-2027, completing a course that addresses um our adopted Jumpstart National Financial Literacy Standards um is expected. So, starting with the freshman class of 2026, so that means the graduating

089class of 2030 will all have graduated with a course in financial literacy that addresses all of those standards. By incorporating the PT the financial literacy coursework into the PTP, which is a personal transition plan that is a um a tool that um students um it helps them with post-secondary, but it's also a it can be a repository of coursework taken that that is accredited course. And one of the starting with the class of 2030, which they would be freshman in school year 2026-2027, all students have to have completed a financial literacy course and have it recorded in their PTP, which is a required credit for graduation. So, how are they going to fit that in? Is it an elective or is it a course? >> There's So, it's not a one-size-fits-all. We do have options

090for this. So, the first option is a stand-alone elective course. So, schools um already do um and can continue to do or start new courses. A student can take as one of their elective credits financial literacy. If a student chooses or if the school doesn't offer at this time to take a stand-alone course, they might want to take a world language, they might want to participate in CTE, they might want to join our JROTC. So, if they don't want to use their elective credit um for financial literacy, it's still a requirement for graduation. Schools have the opportunity um to embed the financial literacy standards, which are well-defined in existing coursework. Or option three, a student can take a self-paced um course by very reputable um programs. And if we're happy to show you those programs,

091they have been vetted. They're not just a one-shot 20-minute I've taken a financial literacy course. Any program um that is synchronous or asynchronous has been vetted to meet our adopted Jumpstart Literacy Financial Literacy Standards. So, students schools can um use either advisory or homeroom. These are just some options where students complete their financial literacy coursework in a schedule that has been developed by the school. And the fourth option that students have that they're currently doing um in some areas is taking the financial literacy course as a um asynchronous self-paced course during the summer. Some schools have opened up um spaces after school where students go to report to complete their financial literacy coursework, which they are engaged in through a vetted um synchronous or asynchronous um financial literacy programs. >> That seems like it's It's

092great that you have a lot of options, but my fear is especially if you take option number two, which is leave it to the school to embed it into curriculum, I feel like you're going to get a whole lot of different outcomes of what the delivery is going to be and you know, if and it's good in some respects if you're a high quality learner, but you know, if it's not your interest, you're just kind of you know, pushing it along and I think you know, the whole purpose of this is is to teach people okay, you know, the the basic that every there should be a baseline understanding what how to balance your checkbook, how to you know, how to you know, manage your finances and and so I I hope you you you

093folks have a plan of you make sure that that baseline is happening at in some of the schools that maybe like okay, I'm just going to embed in my curriculum so we just check it off the list and then you get really lower quality, right? >> You're absolutely correct on that and that is the most difficult option and in the review, which is not comprehensive yet, it's looking like the most natural fit would be in courses such as AP business with personal finance and not all schools offer that anyway. So, it would be a very robust task to implement those standards in an existing course because the existing course is also held to the content that gives it its ACCN number. So, you're absolutely correct that would be probably the most challenging, but there are

094some courses like the courses I just mentioned where it could it could be a fit and not impact the integrity of the course. >> So, so when will you have some preliminary data cuz you're going to start next year, right? >> Correct. >> should at least have some semblance of a plan, I would assume unless the unless they take it in later years. Are they what year do they start taking it? >> So, so it is four years. So, that that is so it is four years and currently we do have the data for the students who are taking financial literacy and it's not every student and our the expectation and the requirement is in order to graduate in 2030, everyone has to have taken it. So, the numbers will skyrocket after this, but we

095do have the numbers of students who are taking financial literacy as an elective course. We also have the numbers who are taking the courses such as Everfi financial literacy education program. So, we do have the data of what exists and we will continue to collect the data moving forward, but again, if financial literacy is required as part of a graduation requirement that it is, you have to take it before you've met your requirements for graduation. Can you try? All right, to follow up on that. So, when will the option to have it embedded when will cuz there's they should be able to start in 2026. It it will start the the options and these are just options. So, if a school elects not to embed it in existing coursework, that that's the school decision. What

096is not negotiable is that all schools must offer financial literacy starting with school year 2026 so that students graduating in the class of 2030 have a financial literacy. >> So, the options is not the students' options, it's the options for the school. Correct. Okay, I thought it was for the for the students, but now you're leaving up to the school. Well, well, a student excuse me, a student can take a course if the school offers it as an elective, but they might not choose to take the elective. They might choose another elective and still have the opportunity to take one of the other >> two and the school didn't offer that, didn't have that embedded in, they that wouldn't be an option. >> Well, they wouldn't choose number two because the school doesn't offer it.

097>> have that wouldn't be an option to the for the student. So, the student would be left with only three options. >> Correct. And I have concerns about three and four because this is self-paced, this is async async. They can turn on the video and walk away. Um these courses have been vetted. Um they've >> that, but they still can turn it on and walk away cuz it's done no professor on the on Then they might pass the exams already knowing the content. Yeah, but they might not understand under they might be able to answer the test questions and pass the test questions, but common sense or or actual practice of it, they might not have an idea. I've had students graduating from top top schools here in the state and when it came to

098understanding these things, they they knew nothing. I'm not going to name the schools obviously, but they knew nothing. So, there's a joke that goes around, you know? So, you can pass a test, but still not be competent in that area especially if it's an async class. So, again, the the task force and everything that points to that this should be embedded into the curriculum or be a standalone and not be an async course that that anybody can just turn on the computer and then walk away. So, I don't understand your data and you know, the fact that if the school doesn't do number two and if the student doesn't take the standalone, they're obviously going to choose to do an async class. And I don't think that that achieves the purpose of what we've been

099pushing. And I would hope that the board of the Department of Education [clears throat] would be more in line with wanting to make sure that our students leave DOE with a solid foundation for financial literacy if nothing else. >> And these courses do allow a student to leave with a solid foundation in financial literacy. >> an async self-paced? I I I tend to disagree. Okay. Any other questions? No, we're moving on. Question of the day concurrent resolution 196 and SR 184 requesting Department of Education to develop a standardized bell schedule framework for department schools and we start with >> [clears throat] >> Department of Education. Good [clears throat] afternoon, Chair, Vice Chair, Senator Hashimoto, Tammy Chun, Deputy Superintendent. The Department of Education provides comments on this resolution about mandating a standardized bell schedule at each

100of the different grade spans. The Department of the currently each school's bell schedule is set to meet school's needs. The bell schedule is established through a collaborative process that is led by school administration and based on decision rules that are established in the HSTA collective bargaining agreement. Um schools bell schedules must meet the minimum instructional time that's in statute. If a collaborative process does not result in a approved bell schedule, the school would default to one of the model bell schedules that the department maintains. Um this resolution moving all schools in elementary, middle and high respectively would create a one-size-fits-all bell schedule which is not flexible to school's needs. Thank you. Okay, we don't have anyone else testifying on this measure. Can you just sit there? Anyone else wishing to testify on this measure? Hearing

101none, okay, so tell me. A tiered a tiered bell bell schedule. So, a standardized schedule for elementary, standardized for middle, standardized for high school and if you read the resolution, it does say requested to consult with school administrators, teachers, collective bargaining representative, parents, students, transportation providers in the development of a standardized bell schedule framework. So, that is all talked about in this measure. So, we're not saying that you're going to or we will amend the resolution not to say that you're going to implement it, but you're going to come up with some kind of plan and proposal to be looked at and discussed because as you said in other situations and not just you yourself, Department of Education, is that things keep changing and that we keep wanting to improve and so perhaps it is

102time to relook at the bell schedule and cons in consult coordination with buses, the need for for drivers, the the lack of buses perhaps, school buses or transportation available to the students, all kinds of changes that going on that this is what this resolution is geared towards. So, it's the Senator if it um we definitely are going to be relooking at the what we currently call the model bell schedule that's referenced in the collective bargaining agreement with HSTA, which meets the minimum instructional requirements as well as the collective bargaining agreements. We're definitely doing that. That's a collaborative process. Um moving all schools, all elementary, all middle and all high to the same bell schedule is a bigger um Right. bigger decision. We can have that conversation as part of the model bell schedule. >> what

103this resolution calls for. Thank you. Any other questions, members? Uh Senator Iashi, Tommy. Tommy. I I guess so, have there been any preliminary you know, looks at some type of unification. I know when we were having concerns over the buses, you know, your former uh facilities person um maybe two facilities people ago essentially said that you were looking at the Campbell area to to figure out some type of bell schedule adjustments, right? But I don't know what what is the current strategy? Sure, at the complex area level, there have been discussions um led by complex area superintendents about whether coordinating bell schedules in the um in the complex area in the region would help us to get uh maximize or more uh bus routes. So that that discussion I'm just going to double-check with our

104student student transportation. Um they have had those discussions and made some changes in some cases. Um but that was a coordinated schedule as opposed to a um uniform standardized schedule. But I would assume that that those conversations need to flow up, right? In terms of okay, what does a master schedule look like or that's coordinated amongst the state? But if you're not having those conversations, kind of hard to like figure out what what the direction is that we should be heading. Um I think that we definitely um have been tracking those conversations about coordinating uh school schedules to help with the school bus. I think the schedule >> only school bus. Like it's many other things, right? Yes, but we have not That conversation I would has not moved to moving to more uniform schedules

105at this time. Okay. But so so what is if we don't pass this reso, what what are you guys going to do? Well, we are already going to convene the stakeholder group that will look at reviewing the model schedules. So those would be um So in the collective bargaining process currently, schools have the flexibility Oh, sorry. Not Not collective bargaining. In the way it's it's school schedules bell schedules are set up, schools have flexibility to propose a schedule um that meets the minimum instructional um time as well as the requirements of the collective bargaining agreement and their instructional needs at the school. Right. Um if but to approve that schedule, which and changing schedules are hard at the school, um you need to get agreement um from the teachers in in and I'm not remembering

106exactly right now what percentage have to agree on the new schedule. Two-thirds? Two-thirds need to agree on the schedule. Two-thirds is a high bar. And so if the school cannot teachers can't reach agreement on a new schedule, then they default to this model schedule. Okay. >> So we we're going to convene a work group to look to meet and look at the model schedules and propose other um refresh the options. Okay. But then there's no there's no consideration then what if once the school approves it, then somebody's going to look at it from a regional perspective? Uh we could consider doing that. That's not that just hadn't been part of our That's currently That's currently not Hang on. Let me just double-check. Um So Yeah, so So so you could have a holiday on one

107day uh waiver day on one day, yet the the middle schools are the waiver day on another day. Oh. And then the parents are like, okay, what do I do with my kid with that has one elementary's off, middle school has to go to school. Middle school has another day that they're off, right? >> So so waiver So waiver days are day non-instructional days that um that's a different process than bell That's a different um concept than bell schedule. So understanding the concept >> You start at certain time, right? >> Yes, the start and end different and I pick up another kid at different time. It's just It's just I think it has to be logical, right? For for for it all to make sense. And so I'm just I think why why I bring

108it up is because I think it's we're at a point of just it's I think great, you want to give the schools some flexibility and power, but then it it just creates other unintended consequences, right? So so Senator, the um the approach that started with Act 51 was to give more flexibility and authority to for for site school level decision-making because they know their students best and know their community the best and are to organize to organize education at that level with some checks and balances. And so the bell schedule has been part of that um that work and we know that over the last 20 years that student achievement has increased. And so I think we have um but we can always look to operational efficiencies. And so we will you know, we'll take

109that back to our complex area superintendents and and discuss how we can address that. >> to have a unified calendar as well, right? We I sat on that committee when I was a student, so I know. Well, so we do have a So we have a common >> Act 51 was passed. >> Yes. So we do have a common um school calendar. >> to. Well, we do. The exception is that schools have um might have non-instructional The non-instructional days are floating. That's right. So I don't know. We got to we got to really think about the the you know, I think the ease of use of all this and the the integration of all this. As I said, I I understand where you're coming from with Act 51. I know the the whole genesis of

110Act 51, but then there's there's a level of coordination that still needs to happen. Right. So just to clarify for everyone, we do have a the overall calendar is common though with the start and end times um and the I'll be the same and the the start and end times of the quarters and breaks are the same. But to your point, Senator, there there are different days that schools have their non-instructional day schedule. >> All right. Thank you, Chair. Okay. Any other questions? Hearing none, we are moving on to SCR 200, SR 188, requesting Department of Education to implement the National Education Association Micro-credentials Pilot Program developed in collaboration with the Department's Office of Curriculum and Instructional Design and the Y State Teachers Association. And we have Department of Education. >> [clears throat] >> Good

111afternoon, Chair Kim, Vice Chair Kidani, members of the committee. Sean Bacon speaking on behalf of the department. Uh department stands on its written testimony and we support SCR 200. And we are preparing at this point right now to launch a pilot program during the 2026-2027 school year that will allow our teachers to earn professional development courses uh and to be able to reclassify through the NEA's micro-credentials. So we stand by for any questions. Thank you. >> Uh also Choy for HSTA. With baby. Hello. Hi, Chair and Vice Chair. Sarah Mellion the Laughing on behalf of HSTA. Um I was excited to see this one. The micro-credential thing is something done nationally where a lot of other states are already offer credit for these modules that have been built. I think it's important too because these

112have been vetted by national teachers. I've actually helped write some of these modules myself. Um I want to find ways for our teachers to get credits and reclassify so they can move up the pay scale. Um for instance, I've kind of told the story to this board before that um I was able to get my masters through HSTA and Spalding University and I wanted that for a long time. So those masters credits allowed me to get from class two even where I was with 11 years experience to now class five finally. These micro-credentials, if these were available, I would completely do all of them to be able to reclass up the pay scale. Also with us today, we have Diane Gibson who's HSTA's professional development specialist. She can answer more questions about how micro-credentialing works

113and then she's available for questions. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Johnny M. Perry who is obviously not here. Anyone else wishing to testify on SCR 200, SR 188. Hearing no others, questions, members. Um I guess Sean, you may come forward. So Sean, what has been the reason for the delay in the implementation of this agreement? So currently uh we we've been working with Diane who's here also. Um She's been great to work with on this. Uh we have been working about the last year or two to get this implemented. We've been working with our Office of Curriculum and Instructional Design to kind of vet some of the courses. Currently right now, a consultation was sent over to the HSTA uh in February uh and we are want to just ensure that we're all on the

114same page and at the end of the consultation, we plan to implement and move forward with the process. So the consultation isn't isn't concluded? It is not concluded at this point. Oh. Can I have Diane please come up? My understanding is completed. Diane, is it not completed? Um my understanding is that Colleen spoke with Michael on Friday. Um so Colleen Bird who is our negotiation um person spoke with Michael A- A- Azia? Azuma. Azuma. Um regarding the memo that was sent to us and the letter that was sent to us to confirm that yes, what was in there is is correct so that we can move forward with the process to to launch it. So it's been completed as of April 1st. The notice was given that it is completed. Well, it may have been

115completed between the two of them. I don't know if Michael has actually spoken uh to the other other stakeholders. And who's Michael? Michael is our one of our chief negotiators in our Office of So in contact with him on a regular basis? I am. Um I will go back and check with him, but I have not seen anything official come back um to say from the HSTA that they are ready to move forward with this. But I believe we're pretty much on the same page and ready to go with this at this point. >> Terry Ushijima here? My understanding the agreement was made with Terry Ushijima and HSTA back in July of 2025. Um >> And that this was supposed to get done um the summer of 2025. So, I I think there's I think

116>> a con- consultation letter. So, I think there's multiple components in it and there's different parts of the department. So, there is the office of cur- curriculum and instructional design. They're typically the one the office that does review the different courses to ensure that they meet the reclassification um criteria. Um and then the office of talent management, which I'm uh overseeing, um does the collection of the credits ensuring that the appropriate movement towards the reclassification does happen. So, it is it is a a work between a a few of the different offices and also with this project too, working closely with the HSTA. Uh just to clarify the um the final work with the committee that I was working on was done in March of 2025 to be sent forward. Um uh at the last

117TECC meeting um superintendent and I um and Sean talked about that it was ready to go forward. Um after that we did not hear anything back. It wasn't until February of this year when I was asked how the pilot was going and I and I explained that it wasn't because we hadn't done the meet and confer process. That um it was looked into and I I do have to thank superintendent for that because he immediately got on it, looked into it and found out why it wasn't moving forward and we had a letter within 2 weeks. So, the TECC meeting was when? Um the last TECC meeting last year was April or May. I believe it was April. >> Of 2025? >> Yes. Right. And my understanding is an agreement with Terry Ushijima and HSTA

118was done in July of 2025. So, superintendent, you were not aware until you she told you that the process wasn't moving forward. When I did speak with him Can you switch places, please? When I did speak with Diane, she notified me that there was there was some uh delay. So, I did look into it and uh work with Sean's office and it was my it's my understanding too that um that that the process is um completed, though we have sent um the document to the document to HSTA and we're waiting for it to be returned to us. Yeah, but it seems like it's been a taken a year or 10 months um that it was it these processes should have taken place and you you I guess you probably understood that it was and it

119wasn't. So, again, where's the disconnect? So, so we're we we can double check, Senator. I My understanding is we're waiting for it to be returned. Micro-credentialing is a uh we are as um as they can share, it is a way for us to uh work together with HSTA to give teachers the opportunities for professional development designed by teachers and with with with us in conjunction. Uh so, definitely we're in favor of it. So, we're in favor of it. >> and but I'm just trying to get to it, why does things get delayed? Where is it this There's a disconnection, obviously, because my understanding is this agreement was done and with with HSTA, which is what's required, back in July of 2025 and we just heard from Diane saying that it was in March or April

120and that she didn't hear anything after that. So, again, till she ran into you and told you and then in 2 weeks you got it done. Well, we we got we got the process going, Senator. And so, it's again, it's my understanding that uh the document was sent to HSTA. We're waiting for it to be returned. We will follow up with them today. Was it returned? The the document was sent to us February 11th. Um Colleen and I conferred Friday cuz she wanted to verify some some information with me and it's my understanding that she um spoke to her counterpart uh in the DOE on on I'm sorry, not Friday of last week, that was a holiday, Wednesday of last week. And um that the that we are letting them know um that it should

121be moving forward. And in fact, we are actually ready to start now. Um Yes, so why Since it was supposed to start last summer, we're ready to actually start now with it if possible. >> now? We have We have not received anything back from the HSTA as of this point right now. Maybe we can double check. Okay, so if you can confirm that it's been received or you get it today, why can't you start it? confirm it with them, then we can get the information out to our mem- our teachers the members and we can collaborate on how we're going to communicate that and get the process started. Okay, so you don't have to wait until follow up 2026. And and the courses that they will be taking, any courses What What wouldn't it be

122helpful if before you came today that you would double check so that maybe these you would've gotten the responses so you could've responded in a different manner? But my understanding, the last that I spoke and I just actually got information from Mike Kazuma, we have not received anything officially in writing back from the HSTA as of this point right now. Okay, so I will follow up with Colleen um once once I'm out of this meeting. >> in writing. Yeah. >> Because that goes back You you you wrote this testimony 406. Okay, it's dated 406. In this testimony you're saying that, you know, once you receive the completion consultation process with HSTA. So, I called them to find out where it was. It's simple, pick up the phone, find out. Is it complete? Yes, it's complete.

123So, I don't understand why in preparation for this hearing that you wouldn't double check to make sure that where the process is. Right? Because then you're saying you're not going to start until the upcoming year, where we could really actually start sooner if we double check to see where it's at. Because they can the courses that they are able to take with this part of the consultation was is any of the micro-credential courses from July of '23, I believe. >> of '23 to June 30th of 2027. >> they've taken any of them already, they'll be able to use those towards reclassification credits. So, the reclassification process happens twice annually. So, um they'll be able to submit those courses once we get the information out for the reclassification for the following um for the following window.

124I do just want to clarify that um there are only 35 out of the 250 available micro-credentials that are approved for this pilot at the moment um that uh the DOE has agreed to allow teachers to use. Any reason why only that many? Um I was told that it was to keep it small to see if it worked. Um I did recommend that there be some other ones added to it, but they weren't added. Um uh And right now we don't really, and this is something we need to confer on, um we don't have a process for adding other ones to the list as we move through that pilot. Um I know that that it was mentioned that the delay was that they had to be vetted for reclassification, but these are these are um

125micro-credentials that are designed by the NEA for teachers and they are They have actually been reviewed nationally. Um So, they they should be exactly what teachers need, you know, when and um They don't have to be re-vetted. That's what you're saying. Well, I I'm not sure why they have to be so so so so vetted in the first place because of the organization that they're coming from. Um these are designed for teachers by the National Teachers Association. So, um you know, they're very very meticulous in what they're putting out there because if they're not, they get scrutinized Senator? So, >> [groaning] >> Thank you. [clears throat] What's the estimated cost of this pilot program? So, currently right now for the teachers to be able to take any of these NEA micro-credentials, as long as they

126are an HSTA member, they uh the cost for them to take these is zero cost. If they're a non-HSTA or non-NEA members, it's I believe $75 per micro-credential. What is the cost to the department? So, for for the department, I mean, what will happen is is they will be able to then reclassify towards the next credit or the next class. Currently right now for a teacher to reclassify from one class to another, like when we added the class eight in the past year to go from like class seven to class eight, it is a approximately a 4% increase in their salary. So, it's going to depend again on how many teachers go through this micro-credential process and that I think that's part of the pilot is to see how many actually will go through it

127um and to see from there what the what the anticipated cost may be for the department. And so, again, we wanted to just start with it small. I think like Diane has also mentioned too, there are many other courses and you know, depending on how this works, we'd like to expand it to others as we as we move forward in this process. So, Sorry, Senator. Well, I just to um just to get more information on it. You guys both agree that the program is warranted and wanted, but have you guys sat down to talk to work out the details rather than us having to urge you guys to do this? I think we're really close at this point. You know, I think as this consultation which is a formal process that's is required. Once we

128get over this hump, we'll be ready to get the information out. I think HSTA is does always a great job of getting information out to their members. We will also communicate it to our teachers so that we can get this process started. So how far are we from the finish line? What else needs to happen for this to be completed? So it sounds like I need to work with uh our lead negotiator to get the formal letter sent over to them and then is uh the DOE would need to send the memo out and from our side it's just a matter of sending out through member matters that the information that the DOE has approved this pilot and then teachers will have they they already have access to everything. It's just now getting the information

129out which on our end is very quickly. It's a week at the most. Thank you. Okay. Again, you know, I don't think there's any disagreement about this program. I think the problem is that the the timing and the delay from the department from when the agreements were made with HSTA which is why we have this resolution. Again, you guys have to look at what why these resolutions occur or these bills occur because there's complaints out there that you folks are not acting timely. Took you a year or 10 months to get the process going when already agreements were being made were made with HSTA. So again, I and then you come here not double checking to see where it's at so you can give us a good sense. So you know, and luckily I try

130to find out before I hear these resolutions where it's at. I think you can do the same. Or you should be doing the same, right? Okay. Thank you. >> Any other questions members? Thank you. Thank you, chair. Okay, finally we're on SCR 203 SR 191 urging this body to establish a public charter school working group to examine and support systems available to state public charter schools and determine whether the establishment of a centralized public charter school district or similar service cooperative would provide improved support to public charter schools. And first justify is I know you're not Ed No, but please come forward, identify yourself. Aloha chair, vice chair, members of the committee PJ four, deputy director on behalf of Dr. Ed No, executive director. And we stand on our submitted testimony in support of the

131intent of this resolution and look forward to working with all the parties involved and making some constructive steps forward. Okay, thank you. John Thatcher. Yes, I am not John Thatcher. My [clears throat] name is Gene Zarro. I am the chair of the Hawaii Public Charter Schools Network. Testimony was submitted and I'll stand on those comments. But I would like to make some comments as one of the founders of Kehe Charter School who is ending its 25th year this graduating class and I'm on their governance board. So thank you Chair Kim, Vice Chair Kidani, Senator Hashimoto, and Senator DeCourcy for the time. Uh for me it is a good idea whenever stakeholders can come together to explore >> [clears throat] >> the good things and the things that need solutions when it comes to a state

132uh institution and that state institution is charter schools. So bringing people together to address the successes and the chronic issues is always a good idea. We're not quite sure what's going to come out of this, but bringing people together to do this is a good thing. So that's all I need to say, but I'm here to answer questions. Why don't you just stay right there. Matthew Zatello? Not here? Anyone else wishing to testify on this measure? I have a question. So Hawaii Charter Schools Network, you represent them. So do you folks have a website? Yes. And is it functional? Yes. Uh if you were looking for it, it's Hawaii Public Charter Schools Network. Okay, Hawaii Public. So I'm not sure if it's the name we looked up the right So could you double check that?

133Yeah, apparently we looked up Hawaii Charter School Network and found that the website no longer is functional and social media was last updated in 2023. Yeah, I >> Just want to make sure it's a current entity. It it's it's working. It's working. Yes. Okay. And you updated it prior to 2023? Yes, absolutely. >> Okay, we'll double check on that to make sure. Okay, members any questions? >> that website again? I'm sorry. >> It it could be Hawaii Public Charter Schools Network.org or hpcsn.org. I personally never go to the website because I pretty much live it. It's confusing. I can see why. >> [laughter] >> Okay, we just want to make sure it's a it's an a proper entity that will be heading it and doing this. >> Yes. Okay, members any questions? Okay, hearing none

134we are going to recess for decision making. Call back to order the committee on education. We're in decision making. Members, we're looking at Senate Concurrent Resolution 112 and SR 105. This is requesting the university to collaborate with the Teacher Standards Board etc. etc. and this is for the science of reading. The recommendation members is to amend the resolution to include the UH Dean of education as well as the Board of Education I'm sorry, the Board of Regents to be notified on this resolution and also to to integrate what was discussed regarding the different languages. I think it was brought up by um Deborah Halbert on that about some of the intricacies and so to embed that into into the resolution in consideration that it is not just a one-time stand-alone, but obviously it's already in

135some of it is already embedded. They update that. So get that language. Any discussion members? Hearing none question for the vote. Chair votes I on SCR 112 and SR 105. Chair votes I, Vice Chair votes I, Senator Kidani is excused, Senator Hashimoto I. Senator DeCourcy I. Thank you. On Senate Concurrent Resolution 114 and Senate Resolution 107. This is for to conduct quarterly quarterly performance and management audits on the department. Recommendation members is to amend this to have um the DOE internal auditor do not quarterly, but semi-annually performance management audits and make technical amendments and non-substantive amendments. Any discussions? Hearing none, chair votes I. On SR 107 and SCR No, 114 and SR 107. Sorry, SR 107. You're right. And It's SCR >> SCR 114 Correct. Which limits amendments. Vice Chair votes I, Senator Kidani is

136excused, Senator Hashimoto I. Senator DeCourcy >> I. He put that in there. Thank you. For SCR 198 and SR 186. This is requesting the auditor conduct a comprehensive performance and fiscal audit on the governance structure. This recommending that we amend this as we discussed during the question and answer and that we amend it to say requesting the auditor to conduct a performance audit of the process by which administrative and program positions are created and approved within the Department of Education and to review the department's supervision and evaluation of complex area superintendents. Let's see. Also making technical and non-substantive amendments. Any any discussion, members? So, this narrows it down as was um expressed by our state auditor. Um so, I I think that it becomes more manageable. Any discussion? Hearing none, chair votes aye. Okay. And

137with Senate Concurrent Resolution 101, Senate Resolution 95, this is on the electric school buses. The recommendation is to defer, understanding that we do not have a fleet of buses, and we really have to go out and hire these bus companies. So, we don't have a control of of what kind of fleet of buses they're using. Uh any discussion? Any opposition to deferring? Hearing none, uh SCR 113 and SR 106, this is request the Department of Education to submit a report to the legislature detailing farm-to-school implementation, implementation, local food procurement, etc., etc. Uh recommendation with the concurrence of the author of the measure, uh we will defer this resolution. Okay. Any objections? Hearing none. Okay. SCR 194 and SR 183, urging Department of Education to meet the official criteria necessary to officially, I'm sorry, officially recognize

138cheerleading at the Title IX sport in Hawaii. Recommendation is we pass with technical and non-substantive amendments. Any discussion? Let's hear a team. United team. >> [laughter] >> Chair votes aye. Okay. SCR 195, SR 192, requesting the Board of Education in collaboration with the Department of Education to revise public high school graduation requirements to include successful completion of a stand-alone financial literacy course. Um the recommendation is to pass as is. Any discussion? Hearing none, chair votes aye. 195 and 192. With amendments. No, not as is. Sorry. As is. on Senate Resolution, Senate Concurrent Resolution 196 and Senate Resolution 184, this is the development of a standardized bell schedule. Recommendation in consideration of the discussion, uh we will amend this measure to to state a request the Department of Education to develop a uh proposal for a

139tiered, coordinated, standardized bell schedule. We definitely want it coordinated, but we want some standardization, and tiered in the sense that we're looking at in elementary school, middle school, high schools separately, so that they could definitely not have to be the same as a high school as if you're in elementary school. And also that the um non-instrument non-instructional days also be looked at as far as coordination. Um and that this this draft proposal will be uh submitted to the legislature uh 30 days prior to the session. And for further discussion, so it's not necessarily a proposal that we want to be implemented, but to get the feedback on that. And it is clear that it would be in consultation with school administrators, teachers, collective bargaining, uh representative parents, students, transportation providers uh in this development of

140this proposal. Okay. So, uh any discussion? Hearing none, chair votes aye. No, this is SR 196 and 184. Yeah, and in the committee report we could put the the one of the creative working group. Okay. Chair votes aye. Okay. Thank you. And for SR 200 and SR 188, this uh uh requesting Department of Education for the micro-credential pilot program. Recommendation is to pass as is. Any discussion? Hearing none, uh chair votes aye on SCR 200 and SR 188 as is. Thank you. And finally, SCR 203 and SR 191, this is for the public charter schools working group. Recommendation is to pass as is, and if for some reason the the language of referring to the um to the working group or without to the the website the web the exact name, Hawaii Public Charter Schools

141Network or Hawaii Charter School Network, whatever the correct is that we will make the in the resolution. Any discussions? Hearing none. Um what do we have to say with amendments or Well, but he wasn't sure if it said public Hawaii Public Charter Schools Network or Hawaii Charter Schools Network. Yes. Uh I just spoke with John Thatcher and um due to the passing of Steve Hirokami, the website was being reconstructed. So, it is not up at the exact moment, but it should be up within 10 days or so uh due to the Steve was our treasurer and handled all those kinds of things. And we have John absorbed his uh workload as well as his own work. >> So, we have the right name. Yes. So, I will get you the information very soon. >> Okay.

142So, we will recommendation is to pass as is. Okay. Chair votes aye. As is. Thank you very much. That ends our agenda.