HONOLULU — Gov. Josh Green signed a set of bills on Monday that aims to increase teacher housing, expand preschool opportunities, help child care providers get accredited and otherwise enhance support for education initiatives statewide.

What You Need To Know

  • Gov. Josh Green said housing would be a key factor in recruiting and retaining the estimated 1,200 teachers needed to fill the state’s annual teacher shortage
  • Several new laws address early learning needs and opportunities

  • Green credited Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke for spearheading the push for stronger earlier education initiatives

  • Other bills signed on Monday addressed computer science, special education, autism individual educational plans, behavior analysis, and student records transfer

“These new laws will provide additional support to advance the efforts of many throughout our public school system, to educate students,” Green said at a signing ceremony on Monday. “Nearly 169,000 students were enrolled in public and charter schools during the 2022 to 2023 school year. A number like that highlights the need for sound policies and support systems, sufficient funding, and resources for employees to ensure quality teaching and learning. Clearly, our students of today are our leaders, our workforce and our parents of tomorrow, and it is our kuleana to set them up for success.”

Green said housing would be a key factor in recruiting and retaining the estimated 1,200 teachers needed to fill the state’s annual teacher shortage. Senate Bill 941, now Act 172, authorizes the School Facilities Authority to partner with public and private agencies to develop on- or off-campus housing for teachers, other educators and staff. 

Several of the new laws address early learning needs and opportunities.

House Bill 960 (Act 175) places prekindergarten facilities within the authority of the state Department of Education School Facilities Authority and transfers $200 million in general funds to the School Facilities Special Fund for FY 2023-24. The funds will expand access to Pre-K to eligible children. 

SB 239 (Act 169) requires the Department of Human Services to establish a Child Care Accreditation Program to assist licensed and registered child care providers in obtaining accreditation and authorizes the use of the Child Care Grant Program Special Fund for Child Care Accreditation Program grants. It also extends the deadlines by which existing Preschool Open Doors Program service providers are required to commence the accreditation process and obtain accreditation and appropriates funds for the Child Care Accreditation Program, including the establishment of one full-time equivalent position for the program. 

SB 1022 (Act 170) amends the composition and qualifications of the Early Learning Board to consist of individuals from each county, instead of from particular entities or types of providers. It also establishes general qualifications for board members.

Meanwhile, HB 961 (Act 171) expands the types of entities from which a Preschool Open Doors service provider may obtain accreditation and, beginning in 2024, expands the application process to eligible 3-year-old children.

Green credited Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke for spearheading the push for stronger earlier education initiatives.

“All the momentum building to prioritize statewide preschool expansion, builds on decades of hard work from the early learning and childcare community in Hawaii,” Luke said. “The acts Gov. Green signed today will not only focus on our youngest learners but provide economic stability to local families and support the state's early education workforce. It will take continuous collaboration to achieve universal access to preschool, so thank you to the Ready Keiki partners, the legislature, and Governor Green for supporting this effort.”

Other bills signed on Monday addressed computer science, special education, autism individual educational plans, behavior analysis and student records transfer.

HB 503 (Act 174) requires the Board of Education to determine whether making computer science a graduation requirement would be in the best interests of public school students and the public and if so, to work with the DOE to analyze a timeline and process for making computer science a graduation requirement by no later than the 2030-2031 school year. 

“From artificial intelligence to advances in healthcare, renewable energy and agriculture, the current and future impact of technology cannot be overstated,” said David Sun-Miyashiro, executive director of HawaiiKidsCAN. “That is why computer science is a foundational area of education in 2023 and beyond. HB 503 is critical in that it increases equity and access to computer science courses for all of Hawaii’s students, so that the STEM fields will finally reflect the diversity of our state.

“Our youth will not only understand these core concepts, but they’ll also have the choice to shape the innovations of the future and have jobs that enable them to afford to stay in Hawaii,” Sun-Miyashiro said.

SB 105 (Act 166) changes the DOE’s reporting requirement on autism spectrum disorder to annually from quarterly.

SB 1340 (Act. 16) reinstates the exemption from the behavior analyst licensing requirements for certain teachers working in collaboration with a licensed behavior analyst or licensed psychologist and expands the exemption for registered behavior technicians to implement applied behavior analysis services under the direction of a licensed psychologist. It also reinstates the exemption from the behavior analyst licensing requirements for individuals who implement applied behavior analysis services to participants in the Medicaid home and community-based services waiver program.

HB 1045 (Act 165) requires a minor student's parent or legal guardian, rather than the student, to produce the required student records when transferring schools. It clarifies that emancipated minors may produce the required student records when transferring schools and that the transfer process is the same whether a transfer is within the same complex area or to another complex area. It further exempts students eligible for assistance provided under the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987 from producing required student records when transferring schools.

SB 1344 (Act 173) discontinues the term “school health aides” in favor of “school health assistants” to better reflect changes to the job. The new law allows the administration of medication to public school students by school health assistants, with the approval of a health care professional within the DOE, Department of Health, or a health care service pursuant to a written agreement with the DOE. 

Finally, SB 7 (Act 165) makes necessary amendments to clarify certain references to the School Facilities Authority used in section 302A-1151.1. 

“We celebrate these bills as significant strides towards a brighter future for our students and educators,” said state Sen. Michelle Kidani, chair of the Senate Committee on Education. “By investing in teacher housing, improving school facilities and expanding early childhood education, we are paving the way for the success of our state and its future generations.”

Kidani’s counterpart in the House echoed the sentiment.

“Education is about assuring that all of our keiki are lifted up, and these bills highlight how we can build a stronger world-class education system in Hawaii,” said Rep. Justin Woodson, chair of the House Committee on Education.

Michael Tsai covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at michael.tsai@charter.com.