STATE OF HAWAII
BOARD OF EDUCATION
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT COMMITTEE

MINUTES

Queen Liliuokalani Building
1390 Miller Street, Room 404
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
Thursday, August 1, 2019

PRESENT:
Margaret Cox, Committee Chairperson
Kili Namauʻu, Committee Vice Chairperson
Kaimana Barcarse
Catherine Payne
Dwight Takeno
Kenneth Uemura
Daniella White (student representative)

EXCUSED:
Brian De Lima, Esq.

ALSO PRESENT:
Donna Lum Kagawa, Assistant Superintendent, Office of Curriculum and Instructional Design
Heidi Armstrong, Assistant Superintendent, Office of Student Support Services
Alison Kunishige, Executive Director
Kenyon Tam, Board Analyst
Regina Pascua, Board Private Secretary
Irina Dana, Secretary


I. Call to Order

The Student Achievement Committee (“Committee”) was called to order by Committee Chairperson Margaret Cox at 11:00 a.m.


II. Public testimony on Student Achievement Committee (“Committee” or “SAC”) agenda items

Committee Chairperson Cox called for public testimony. The following people provided oral testimony.

Name
Organization
Agenda Item
Position
Corey RosenleeHawaiʻi State Teachers AssociationIV.B. Committee Action on a work plan and timeline to ensure Board policies support the recommendations of the Special Education Task Force’s 2018 summative report and the English Learners Task Force’s 2018 summative report (SAC Strategic Priority 1) Comment

Corey Rosenlee, Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association, testified on his concerns regarding a work plan and timeline to ensure Board of Education (“Board”) policies support the recommendations of the special education taskforce’s 2018 summative report and the English learners (“EL”) taskforce’s 2018 summative report. He highlighted the importance of the Committee and Department of Education (“Department”) determining how to implement ideas from discussions, inclusion of experts from various community groups, the Department providing the public with data, and robust conversations between the Committee, the Department, and experts. He detailed that some of the recommendations in Committee Chairperson Cox’s memorandum impose barriers, and he emphasized open discussions.

Written testimony was also received and provided to the Board members. The following is a listing of the people that submitted written testimony before the testimony deadline.

Name
Organization
Agenda Item
Position
Martha Guinan, Ivalee SinclairSpecial Education Advisory CouncilIV.A. Committee Action on identification and selection of individuals for a working group tasked with work ensuring Board policies support student mental and emotional wellbeing, particularly to prevent youth suicide (SAC Strategic Priority 2)
IV.B. Committee Action on a work plan and timeline to ensure Board policies support the recommendations of the Special Education Task Force’s 2018 summative report and the English Learners Task Force’s 2018 summative report (SAC Strategic Priority 1)
Support/Comment


III. Approval of Meeting Minutes of June 6, 2019

ACTION: Motion to approve the Student Achievement Committee Meeting minutes of June 6, 2019 (Namauʻu /Payne). The motion carried unanimously with all members present voting aye.
IV. Recommendation for Action

Committee Chairperson Cox stated that the Board adopted committee strategic priorities for the 2019-2020 school year at its last meeting. The Committee’s second priority requires the Committee to ensure that Board policies under the Committee’s jurisdiction support mental and emotional wellbeing, particularly to prevent youth suicide.

Committee Chairperson Cox detailed that the Committee must first create a working group consisting of representatives of stakeholders with interest and expertise in student mental and emotional wellbeing and youth suicide prevention. This working group will be responsible for reviewing Board policies, generating a report to the Committee with recommended policy changes, and making final policy recommendations to the Board.

Committee Chairperson Cox stated that the recommendation approves suggested stakeholder groups and not individuals. The Committee would need to designate a representative to and chairperson of the working group. She stated that she recommended that the Committee designate Committee Member Catherine Payne.

Committee Member Payne recommended expanding the parents stakeholder category to include other groups of individuals who take care of children, including grandparents, caretakers, and other family members.

Heidi Armstrong, Assistant Superintendent, Office of Student Support Services, stated that the Department could provide the Committee with a list of the Department’s partners, including community nonprofits, for the Committee to review and potentially include in its working group.


ACTION: Motion to: The motion carried unanimously with all members present voting aye.

Committee Chairperson Cox reviewed a work plan and timeline to ensure Board policies support the recommendations of the special education taskforce’s 2018 summative report and the EL taskforce’s 2018 summative report.

Committee Chairperson Cox stated that the Committee would review Board policies and generate proposed policy changes to better support the recommendations of the two taskforces. By May 7, 2020, the Committee needs to make final policy recommendations to the Board. Committee Chairperson Cox stated that there are three options for a work plan and timeline for the Committee’s consideration. The first option is for the Department to provide significant supports and for the Committee to direct and review. The second option is for the Committee to work as a whole and for the Department to provide support as directed. The third option is for Committee members to divide the work and for the Department to provide support as directed.

Committee Member Dwight Takeno moved to approve option one for a work plan and timeline as shown in Committee Chairperson Cox’s memorandum dated August 1, 2019. Committee Member Kenneth Uemura seconded.

Committee Chairperson Cox noted that the Committee could adjust timelines as appropriate regardless of the timeline that the Committee selects.

Committee Member Uemura asked about Committee Chairperson Cox’s preference out of the three options. Committee Chairperson Cox stated that the first option allows her to work with the Department to move forward as quickly as possible. She noted that she understands but disagrees with Rosenlee’s concerns about the first option not allowing for good discussion. Committee Chairperson Cox emphasized that discussion would occur during Committee meetings. She stated that she could assign other Committee members to work on policies that fall within certain areas. Committee Chairperson Cox stated that she would like the Committee to make final policy recommendations to the Board prior to May 7, 2020, if possible, because the Committee might need to ask the Legislature for funding to support the taskforce recommendations.

Committee Member Uemura agreed that the first option allows the Committee and Department to review policies and the realities of implementation more in-depth while still maintaining oversight.

Heidi Armstrong, Assistant Superintendent, Office of Student Support Services, emphasized the importance of dialogue so that the Department could provide the Committee with information regarding implementation and barriers. This information could help guide the Committee in determining the necessity of policy amendments. She stated that dialogue is important because the Committee needs to have a reason to revise policies, and the Department’s information would guide the Committee’s decision-making.

Committee Vice Chairperson Kili Namauʻu expressed concern regarding the timeline and noted that the first option places the burden of research and review of Board policies on the Department. She stated that her preference is the third option because it divides the work between the Committee and the Department.

Armstrong stated that the September deadline rushes the Department and explained that work regarding the youth suicide prevention working group, special education taskforce, and EL taskforce all fall under the Office of Student Support Services. She stated that this is a heavy workload and does not provide the Department with adequate time to thoroughly review Board policies and provide the Committee with recommendations. She stated that the Department could strive to meet this deadline, but flexibility in the timeline would lessen the workload and stress.

Committee Member Uemura stated that the Committee would need to be flexible with deadlines regardless of which timeline it selects.

Committee Chairperson Cox explained that the timeline is important because the Department would need to develop guidelines to address policy amendments or new policies and then determine implementation. She stated that the Department includes state-level administration, complex-level administration, and school-level teachers and principals. She noted that all of these levels might need to be involved in reviewing policies and recommending changes.

ACTION: Motion to adopt option one for a work plan and timeline as described in Committee Chairperson Cox’s memorandum dated August 1, 2019 (Takeno/Uemura). The motion carried unanimously with all members present voting aye.


V. Adjournment

Committee Chairperson Cox adjourned the meeting at 11:19 a.m.