EXCUSED:
None

ALSO PRESENT:
Kyla Musso, Student Representative
Keith Hayashi, Interim Superintendent, Department of Education
Teri Ushijima, Interim Assistant Superintendent, Office of Curriculum and Instructional Design, Department of Education
Alison Kunishige, Executive Director
Kenyon Tam, Board Analyst
Regina Pascua, Executive Secretary
Lady Garrett, Secretary

1. Call to Order

Committee Chairperson Namauʻu announced that Committee Vice Chairperson Bill Arakaki and Committee Members Kaimana Barcarse, Lyla Berg, Lynn Fallin, Catherine Payne, and Kenneth Uemura were participating in the meeting. Committee members did not have others present with them at their nonpublic locations to announce.

II. Approval of Meeting Minutes of December 16, 2021 Student Achievement and Finance and Infrastructure Joint Committee meeting

Committee Chairperson Namauʻu called for public testimony on this agenda item. No one provided oral testimony at this time.

Committee Chairperson Namauʻu asked Committee members to review the minutes of the Committee’s December 16, 2021 joint meeting with the Finance and Infrastructure Committee.

Committee Member Uemura moved to approve the Committee’s meeting minutes of the December 16, 2021 joint meeting with the Finance and Infrastructure Committee. Committee Member Barcarse seconded.

Committee Chairperson Namauʻu asked if there were any objections to the motion. No Committee member raised objections, and the motion carried through unanimous consent from all members present (Committee Vice Chairperson Arakaki, Committee Members Barcarse, Berg, Fallin, Payne, and Uemura).

ACTION: Motion to approve the Student Achievement Committee and Finance and Infrastructure Committee joint meeting minutes of December 16, 2021 (Uemura/Barcarse). The motion carried through unanimous consent from all members present.

III. Recommendation for Action

1. Committee Action on distance and hybrid learning issue to proceed with policy development in accordance with Board Policy 400-2, entitled Policies and Policy-Setting

Cheri Nakamura, HE’E Coalition, testified in support of the proposed recommendation and offered assistance to help.

Susan Pcola-Davis, member of the public, testified in strong support of a Board policy on distance learning and stated that the policy will drive the formulation of a plan and that the definitions of different modes of instruction should remain the same as the Board resolution.

Committee Chairperson Namauʻu referred to her memorandum with a recommendation to proceed with policy development on the issue of distance and hybrid learning in accordance with Board Policy 400-2, entitled “Policies and Policy-Setting.”

Committee Member Barcarse moved to (1) agree that further action on distance and hybrid learning is warranted, in accordance with Board Policy 400-2; (2) delegate the Committee’s authority to Committee Member Payne, who will be tasked with carrying out Steps 2 through 6 of the Sequence of Policy Development in Board Policy 400-2; (3) direct Committee Member Payne to bring a draft policy to the Committee for approval before proceeding with Step 6; and (4) direct the Department of Education (“Department”) to provide Committee Member Payne any requested support to carry out her tasks as outlined in Committee Chairperson Namauʻu’s memorandum dated March 3, 2022. Committee Member Uemura seconded.

Committee Member Fallin expressed support for items 1 through 3 and expressed concern with item 4. She expressed understanding regarding the work the Department is doing to budgets and the need to be responsive to parents at the school level.

Committee Member Fallin stated that the Board should not rush and asked the Committee to consider the development of an interim policy which would allow the Department to begin to further develop and implement some of the efforts already underway. She would like the Committee to consider a short-term interim policy because the Board needs the data to develop policies. Committee Member Fallin stated that the interim policy would give the Department the opportunity to gather data and define roles for teachers to develop hybrid or distance learning modules.

Committee Member Fallin noted that Board Chairperson Payne will be tasked with developing an interim policy following the sequence of steps 2 through 6; however Board policy development includes 9 steps which are all linked.

Committee Vice Chairperson Arakaki asked for clarification on the estimated timeline to complete the process of developing the interim policy and the potential impacts relating to Kaiapuni (Hawaiian immersion) education, professional development, and innovation for distance or hybrid learning. He expressed concern about hindering ongoing efforts.

Committee Chairperson Namauʻu clarified that there are no clear procedures on interim policy setting. She explained that at the previous meeting, the Department provided a presentation on its virtual school proposal and the Committee does not intend to impede or stop current virtual learning programs. She stated that the Committee would request that Board Chairperson Payne conduct the work and develop the policy in a way that does not impede the Department’s operations.

Committee Chairperson Namauʻu stated that the policy would provide guidance focused on outcomes for virtual learning. She noted that the expectation is that the Department would continue to work on its virtual learning programs.

Committee Member Shanty Asher entered the meeting at 9:58 a.m.

Committee Chairperson Namauʻu announced Committee Member Asher would be participating in the meeting. Committee Member Asher noted that others were not present with her at the nonpublic location.

Committee Member Fallin asked if the proposed timeline is realistic for the creation of the policy. Committee Vice Chairperson Namauʻu replied that she would like the Committee Member Payne to bring a draft policy to the Committee within three months, since this is a priority.

Committee Member Fallin expressed agreement with item 2.

Committee Member Uemura noted that the Department needs to continue working on its virtual school proposal, but the Committee recognizes that a policy is needed in order to get the work done.

Committee Chairperson Namauʻu expressed appreciation for the summarization.

Board Student Representative Kyla Musso, stated that this is a large task but students are appreciative of virtual learning options. She expressed agreement with Committee Member Fallin that strong staff is needed to align and structure the needs for students.

Committee Chairperson Namauʻu called for a roll call vote on the motion. The motion carried unanimously with all members present voting aye (Committee Vice Chairperson Arakaki, Committee Members Asher, Barcarse, Berg, Fallin, Payne, and Uemura).

ACTION: Motion to (1) agree that further action on distance and hybrid learning is warranted, in accordance with Board Policy 400-2; (2) delegate the Committee’s authority to Committee Member Payne, who will be tasked with carrying out Steps 2 through 6 of the Sequence of Policy Development in Board Policy 400-2; (3) direct Committee Member Payne to bring a draft policy to the Committee for approval before proceeding with Step 6; and (4) direct the Department to provide Committee Member Payne any requested support to carry out her tasks as outlined in Committee Chairperson Namauʻu’s memorandum dated March 3, 2022 (Barcarse/Uemura). The motion carried unanimously with all members present voting aye.

B. Committee Action on fine arts standards for elementary and secondary grade levels

Committee Chairperson Namauʻu called for public testimony on this agenda item.

Cheri Nakamura, HEʻE Coalition, testified in support of standards to be a guide for teaching and learning. She expressed concern for the increased amount and proposed implementation process while dealing with the results of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Susan Pcola-Davis, member of the public, testified in support of the testimony from HE’E Coalition. She stated that standards are useful and offer students a chance to try other things of interest.

Committee Chairperson Namauʻu called on Keith Hayashi, Interim Superintendent, and Teri Ushijima, Interim Assistant Superintendent, Office of Curriculum and Instructional Design, to present the Department’s recommendation on fine arts standards for elementary and secondary grade levels.

Hayashi stated that the Department is committed to providing all students with equitable access to a high-quality education aligned to Hawaii’s standards. He explained that the standards provide the structure for designing age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate learning experiences for all students in all content areas, including fine arts education.

Hayashi stated that the National Core Arts Standards provides a framework and the Department recommends that the Committee adopt all standards for dance, media arts, music, and theater.

Committee Member Payne moved to adopt all standards for dance, media arts, music, theater, and visual arts of the National Core Arts Standards for kindergarten through the 12th grade as described in Attachment C to Hayashi’s memorandum dated March 3, 2022, effective July 1, 2022 for Department schools and July 1, 2025 for charter schools. Committee Member Berg seconded.

Committee Member Payne expressed support for the arts in all of our schools and noted that it is important for our schools that do not have access to the arts. She stated that schools usually reduce the amount of arts in schools when other needs are great and that she would like to ensure that the Department would provide equitable access to the arts for all students.

Committee Member Berg expressed support for fine arts programs and stated that fine arts are an integral part of education, which allows students to evoke their passions and interests. She stated that Department leadership must ensure that arts are not considered extraneous or extra-curricular and emphasized that all schools need to provide arts opportunities to their students. She emphasized that if funding is an issue the Board should demand that the legislature to fulfill this obligation.

Board Student Representative Musso stated that fine arts education allows students to broaden their ideas.

Committee Vice Chairperson Arakaki expressed appreciation to Board Student Representative Musso and Hayashi for supporting students to demonstrate the ability to participate in fine arts programs.

Ushijima stated that the Department does not have specific complex area goals and she expressed appreciation for the community partners and teacher groups for their support of the standards. She stated that the teachers are excited and the timeline is at a fair pace to allow the transfer to full Department implementation in school year 2025.

Committee Chairperson Namauʻu expressed concern about adding to the challenges for teachers and expressed appreciationn that charter schools will be included. She noted that it is important to get information and feedback from teachers involved in the fine arts curriculum.

Committee Chairperson Namauʻu called for a roll call vote on the motion. The motion carried unanimously with all members present voting aye (Committee Vice Chairperson Arakaki, Committee Members Asher, Barcarse, Berg, Fallin, Payne, and Uemura).

ACTION: Motion to adopt all standards for dance, media arts, music, theater, and visual arts of the National Core Arts Standards for kindergarten through the 12th grade as attached as Attachment C to Hayashi’s memorandum dated March 3, 2022, effective July 1, 2022 for Department schools and July 1, 2025 for charter schools (Payne/Berg). The motion carried unanimously with all members present voting aye.


C. Committee Action on world language standards for elementary and secondary grade levels

Committee Chairperson Namauʻu called for public testimony on this agenda item.

Susan Pcola-Davis, member of the public, testified that the Department is asking the Committee to adopt more standards during a time when teachers and students are already stressed from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and stated that adopting standards is not a strategy to retain teachers.

Committee Chairperson Namauʻu called on Hayashi and Ushijima to present the Department’s recommendation on world language standards for elementary and secondary grade levels.

Hayashi stated that the Department requests committee action on the world language standards for learning language found in attachment C of his memorandum. He explained that the Department consulted with various stakeholders and noted that the quality of the standards opens new doors to provide students with languages and cultures to support the priorities relating to student achievement in alignment with Nā Hopena A‘o (HĀ). Hayashi stated that the standards represent the shift to proficiency in languages in addition to English, which is critical in the 21st century as global economies and new technologies continue to shrink the distance between nations and cultures. He outlined that a standards-based world languages education is part of the foundation for student success in school, work, and life.

Hayashi stated that standards allow the Department to communicate concrete ways for schools to deliver instruction and provide training and resources. He stated that the Department is planning to develop additional resources for schools and will strengthenn communication with the full implementation in school year 2025.

Ex Officio Committee Member Bruce Voss entered the meeting at 10:48 a.m.

Committee Chairperson Namau‘u announced Ex Officio Committee Member Voss would be participating in the meeting. Ex Officio Committee Member Voss noted that others were not present with her at the nonpublic location.

Committee Member Berg moved to adopt the Hawaii World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages for kindergarten through the 12th grade, as attached as Attachment C to Hayashi’s memorandum dated March 3, 2022, effective July 1, 2022 for Department schools and July 1, 2025 for charter schools. Committee Member Arakaki seconded.

Committee Member Barcarse expressed support for world languages and noted that the five goals build upon understanding.

Committee Member Berg stated that Hawaii would see its values shared with the world and acknowledged that the Department needs to work out the details. She stated that she thinks more teachers would enter the field.

Committee Vice Chairperson Arakaki expressed support for the world language standards.

Committee Member Asher shared that as the Department strives to provide greatness she sees two things to embrace our students and build confidence. She shared that while attending the seal of language bi-literacy event at Waipahu High School she was able to witness the progress.

Committee Chairperson Namauʻu expressed appreciation for colleagues sharing their language. She asked for further information on teacher pathways.

Committee Chairperson Namauʻu called for a roll call vote on the motion. The motion carried unanimously with all members present voting aye (Committee Vice Chairperson Arakaki, Committee Members Asher, Barcarse, Berg, Fallin, Payne, and Uemura).

ACTION: Motion to adopt the Hawaii World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages for kindergarten through the 12th grade, as attached as Attachment C to Hayashi’s memorandum dated March 3, 2022, effective July 1, 2022 for Department schools and July 1, 2025 for charter schools (Berg/Arakaki). The motion carried unanimously with all members present voting aye.

IV. Late Public Testimony on Board Agenda Items

Committee Chairperson Namauʻu called for public testimony from any individuals who did not have an opportunity to testify on earlier agenda items.

Committee members received written testimony before the meeting. The following is a listing of the people who submitted written testimony before the meeting.

V. Adjournment

Committee Chairperson Namauʻu adjourned the meeting at 11:03 a.m.