Beginning on 6/30/2030, requires all new playgrounds constructed on Department of Education school grounds to include accessible recreational playground equipment as part of the recreational apparatuses. Establishes the Accessible Recreational Playground Equipment Special Fund. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
HB 87 requires all public schools to provide free breakfast and lunch to every enrolled student starting the 2025-2026 school year. The bill directly affects all public school students in the state and mandates that the state appropriates funding to cover these meal costs. Key provisions include eliminating meal fees for students and ensuring schools receive state funds to support the program. This policy change shifts meal costs from families to state resources beginning in the 2025-2026 school year.
Requires the Department of Education to establish and administer a three-year student athlete travel pilot program to provide funding for intra-county travel expenses for student athletes of counties with a population of less than 500,000. Appropriates funds. Repeals 6/30/28. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
Appropriates funds to support educational training programs to expand the State's health care workforce. Allocates funds to the Department of Education for health care certificate programs and classroom renovations for health care training in public high schools. Allocates funds to the University of Hawaii for education programs that support certified nurse assistants in becoming licensed practical nurses.
Appropriates funds to the Department of Education for regional kitchen expansion to fulfill the local farm-to-school meal goal requiring thirty per cent of the food served in public schools to consist of locally sourced products. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
Establishes the civic education trust fund to support programs benefiting civic education of public school students. Appropriates funds for the expansion of civic education in the public schools and for full-time equivalent permanent civic education resource teacher positions. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
HB 2303 requires the state Board of Education to update physical education content and performance standards to reinstate the Presidential Fitness Test for public school students. This bill directly affects K-12 public schools and students by mandating the return of this specific fitness assessment program. The key provision is the Board's obligation to revise standards to bring back the test, which measures physical fitness through activities like sit-and-reach and mile runs. The bill focuses on concrete policy changes to restore a standardized fitness evaluation in school curricula.
Establishes the School Meals Option Pilot Program within the Department of Education to provide healthy meal options to students. Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, requires at least one high school in each school complex area to offer a meal in accordance with the School Meals Option Pilot Program every other week. Beginning with the 2027-2028 school year, requires at least one high school in each school complex area to offer a meal in accordance with the School Meals Option Pilot Program every week. Requires each individual high school to develop guidelines to implement the School Meals Option Pilot Program, subject to Department of Education approval. Requires reports to the Legislature. Repeals 6/30/2029.
Requires the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board to develop an alternative pathway for a visiting international educator permit aligned to the duration of the educator's J-1 visa program. Repeals 6/30/2031. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
Requires the Department of Education to establish a statewide Environmental Stewardship Curricula Plan for public schools for certain students. Beginning with the 2027-2028 school year, requires public schools to offer an environmental stewardship course for certain students. Requires the Department of Education to establish and administer sustainability programs, including recycling and composting programs, to be implemented at public schools. Beginning 7/1/27, prohibits the use or distribution of single-use plastic utensils, trays, straws, and other disposable plastic food service products in public school cafeterias. Beginning 7/1/28, requires each public school to have at least one operational refillable water bottle filling station accessible to students and staff. Requires reports to the Board of Education and the Legislature. Appropriates funds.
