Hawaii House Bill HR159

Hawaii 2023 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/10/23
• Refer: 3/15/23
• Report Pass: 3/30/23
• Refer: 3/30/23
• Report Pass: 4/5/23
• Passed: 4/5/23

Caption

Requesting The Board Of Education, In Partnership With The Department Of Education, To Produce A Report On Increasing Access To Tutoring Services Within And Outside Of Hawaii's K-12 Public Schools.

Impact

The resolution aims to ensure that tutoring services are equitably accessible to all students in Hawaii, particularly in light of the significant federal resources available for educational improvements. The report proposed in HR159 would assess current student access to tutoring and recommend strategies to hire in-person tutors, engage the community, and consider virtual tutoring options where necessary. Special attention will be given to schools serving low-income populations, ensuring that these institutions can effectively deploy available resources to combat learning deficits exacerbated by the pandemic.

Summary

House Resolution 159 requests the Board of Education, in collaboration with the Department of Education, to produce a report focused on increasing access to tutoring services within and outside of Hawaii's K-12 public schools. This initiative comes in response to the ongoing academic challenges following the COVID-19 pandemic, where student achievement levels in math and reading have not returned to pre-pandemic standards. The resolution highlights the importance of tutoring as a means to address learning loss and supports the integration of federal relief funds aimed at educational recovery.

Contention

Notably, supporters of the resolution stress that high dosage tutoring has been demonstrated to be one of the most effective methods to boost student achievement. The report will evaluate the remaining federal COVID-19 relief funds and how they can be utilized efficiently within the educational landscape. Concerns may arise regarding the implementation and effectiveness of these tutoring programs, especially in diverse educational settings where students have varying degrees of need for academic support.