Bill Text: HI SB3266 | 2022 | Regular Session | Introduced

Hawaii Senate Bill 3266 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Relating To Education.

Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 15-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-01-28 - Referred to EDU, WAM. [SB3266 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2022-SB3266-Introduced.html

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	3266
THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2022
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to education.

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

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that more than twenty‑five per cent of the State's third grade students read below their grade level. More specifically, because approximately fifty thousand public school students in the State are enrolled in kindergarten through third grade, approximately twelve thousand five hundred students are literacy challenged in those grades alone. The legislature also finds that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and distance learning have exacerbated adverse impacts on the State's most at‑risk students.

The legislature further finds that primary promise is a program that aims to close the achievement gap in literacy among students enrolled in kindergarten through third grade by providing supplemental, intensive instruction by primary promise intervention teachers and literacy instructional aides in small groups of three-to-five students. The legislature further finds that primary promise is a literacy enhancement initiative that has shown tremendous success across two hundred six severely impacted schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District.

The legislature also finds that there is currently a unique opportunity due to federal funding allocated to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, including moneys from the:

(1) Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act;

(2) CARES Act Governor's Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund;

(3) Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund;

(4) Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act; and

(5) American Rescue Plan (CRA) Act (ESSER III).

With this historic infusion of federal funds available to the State, the legislature believes this is the perfect time to launch primary promise in Hawaii's elementary schools to close the literacy gap for Hawaii's keiki.

The legislature further finds that an appropriation of $15,000,000 would allow schools to hire one hundred fifty primary promise intervention teachers and eighty literacy instructional aides, who could help to close the literacy gap for approximately nine thousand at-risk students.

The purpose of this Act is to establish a three-year primary promise pilot program within the department of education.

SECTION 2. (a) The department of education shall establish and operate a primary promise pilot program, which shall work toward the goal of ensuring that each student leaves third grade reading at grade level.

(b) The department of education shall assess all public elementary schools in the State and identify the schools having:

(1) The lowest literacy rates; or

(2) A disproportionate number of students reading below grade level.

(1) Determine the number of students enrolled in kindergarten through third grade who are literacy‑challenged; and

(2) Hire:

(A) One primary promise intervention teacher for every sixty literacy-challenged students; and

(B) One primary promise instructional aide for literacy for every one hundred twenty literacy‑challenged students;

(3) Assign primary promise intervention teachers and primary promise instructional aides for literacy to students who are literacy-challenged; provided that, to the extent practicable, the department shall assign teachers and instructional aides to assist students in small groups of three to five students; and

(4) Regularly analyze the progress of students participating in the program in improving their literacy skills through progress monitoring assessments, and make adjustments to instruction plans as necessary based on those analyses and assessments.

(d) The department of education shall submit an annual report to the governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature no later than January 1 of each year, which shall include:

(1) A school-by-school assessment of educational outcomes of the pilot program;

(2) A recommendation as to whether the program should be made permanent, with or without modifications; and

(3) Any other findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation.

(e) As used in this section:

"Literacy-challenged student" means a student enrolled in kindergarten, first grade, second grade, or third grade who is reading below grade level.

"Primary promise instructional aide for literacy" or "literacy instructional aide" means a person who is hired by the department of education to:

(1) Focus on direct instruction of students in small groups of three to five students; and

(2) Support primary promise intervention teachers in monitoring student progress.

"Primary promise intervention teacher" means a person who is hired by the department of education to:

(1) Provide direct instruction to students in small groups of three to five students;

(2) Regularly analyze data, administer progress monitoring assessments, and adjust instruction based on the data and assessments;

(3) Supervise literacy instructional aides; and

(4) Collaborate with classroom teachers to ensure consistent instruction.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the funds received by the State of Hawaii from , the sum of $15,000,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2022-2023 to establish a primary promise pilot program, including the hiring of necessary primary promise intervention teachers and literacy instructional aides.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. The appropriation made by section 3 of this Act shall not lapse at the end of the fiscal biennium for which the appropriation is made; provided that all moneys from the appropriation that are unencumbered as of June 30, 2024, shall lapse as of that date.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2022, and shall be repealed on June 30, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Education; DOE; Literacy; Primary Promise; Pilot Program; Teachers; Appropriation

Description:

Establishes a primary promise pilot program within the Department of Education. Requires the Department to identify elementary schools having low literacy rates or a disproportionate number of students reading below grade level. Appropriates moneys to hire teachers and instructional aides to provide instruction to students in grades K-3 who read below grade level in those identified schools. Sunsets 6/30/2025.

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