Sen. Donna Kim

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution asks the State Auditor to review the Department of Education's list of unfinished school construction and renovation projects. The audit will examine how much money has been spent on each project, why some are delayed or over budget, and how much additional funding is needed to finish them. The goal is to provide a clear picture of the state's school infrastructure needs and suggest ways to manage future projects more effectively. The Auditor must submit a report with findings and recommendations to the Legislature before the 2027 session begins.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution urges the Hawaii Legislature to create a working group that will study how to better support public charter schools in the state. The proposed group would examine current administrative challenges faced by charter schools, such as facility maintenance and operational services, and evaluate whether establishing a centralized district or service cooperative could provide more effective support. The working group would include representatives from various stakeholder organizations and must submit its findings and recommendations to the Legislature by early 2027. This resolution does not create any new laws or programs itself, but rather sets up a study process to inform future policy decisions about charter school support structures.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a Senate concurrent resolution that urges Hawaii's Department of Education to officially recognize competitive cheerleading as a Title IX sport. It directly affects high school students, coaches, and athletic programs by requesting the state education department to develop guidelines and safety standards that align with federal Title IX requirements for gender equity in athletics. The resolution asks the Department of Education to work with the Hawaii High School Athletic Association to establish criteria for classifying cheerleading as a varsity sport, ensuring athletes receive equitable access to resources like certified coaching, training support, and facilities. As a non-binding resolution, it does not mandate immediate changes but serves as a formal recommendation to state officials to evaluate and potentially adopt cheerleading as a recognized interscholastic sport.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution requests the State Auditor to perform quarterly performance and management audits of the Department of Education and its related agencies. The bill aims to address concerns about the current internal audit structure by having an independent external auditor evaluate program effectiveness, leadership, federal fund usage, and school plans. These audits will rotate among different departments and must cover at least two performance and two management reviews each year. The Department of Education and its agencies are asked to use the audit results to adjust programs and resource allocation to better support student success and workforce preparation.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution requests the State Auditor to conduct a comprehensive performance and fiscal audit of the Department of Education's governance structure and administrative leadership in Hawaii. The audit will examine the roles, responsibilities, staffing, and costs associated with key leadership positions including the State Superintendent, Deputy Superintendents, Assistant Superintendents, and Complex Area Superintendents. The review aims to evaluate whether the current organizational structure effectively supports the Department's strategic goals, identify any overlapping responsibilities, and provide recommendations for improving administrative efficiency and accountability. The Auditor will submit a detailed report with findings and potential legislative recommendations to the Legislature before the start of the 2027 session.

Maddy summaryThis bill requests the Hawaii Department of Education to create a standardized bell schedule framework for public schools across the state. The proposed framework would organize school start and end times by level - elementary, middle, and high school - while still allowing local flexibility and meeting minimum instructional hour requirements. The bill requires the department to consult with school administrators, teachers, parents, students, and transportation providers during development. This initiative aims to address current inconsistencies in school schedules that affect transportation, staffing, family logistics, and coordination with community programs.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution requests the Hawaii Department of Education to reissue Requests for Proposals for contractors under the Future Schools Now program, which uses job order contracting to quickly repair school facilities. The bill directly affects the state education agency and construction firms, asking them to restart the bidding process for both general contractors and prequalified small businesses before current contracts expire. By reissuing these proposals in 2026, the resolution aims to ensure continuous funding and services for school repairs without interruption, maintaining the program's ability to address the state's backlog of facility maintenance. The Department of Education is also asked to submit a report to the Legislature by early 2027 detailing the program's progress, including the number of projects completed and total spending.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution asks Hawaii's Department of Education to create a standardized bell schedule framework for all public schools in the state. The proposal aims to address current inconsistencies in school start and end times that create challenges for families, transportation planning, and coordination with community programs. The framework would organize schedules by school level - elementary, middle, and high school - while allowing local flexibility within state instructional hour requirements. The Department of Education is directed to consult with school administrators, teachers, parents, students, and transportation providers during the development process.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution asks the Hawaii Department of Education to create a system that assigns responsibility for monitoring school construction and repair projects to local school leaders in each complex area. Under this proposal, local Complex Area Superintendents and their staff would oversee project progress from planning through completion, while the state Office of Facilities and Operations would keep overall management authority and provide statewide oversight. The resolution requires local leaders to submit quarterly reports on project status, budget, and any delays to the state office, which would then review the reports and offer technical assistance. The Department of Education must also develop clear procedures defining roles and responsibilities for all parties and report back to the Legislature by early 2027 with details on the new framework.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution requests the University of Hawaii to create a specific pathway for studying the Niihau dialect of the Hawaiian language. The bill recognizes that the Niihau community has preserved a distinct version of Hawaiian that differs from the dialects used in mainstream immersion schools and other educational settings. It aims to formally acknowledge the unique linguistic heritage of Niihau speakers and ensure their specific language needs are addressed within higher education. The resolution directs a copy of this request to the President of the University of Hawaii System for consideration.