Hawaii Senate Bill SCR230

Hawaii 2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/7/25
• Refer: 3/12/25

Caption

Requesting The Department Of Education To End The Practice Of Mandating That Certain Students Attend A School Outside Their Service Area.

Impact

The resolution points out that overcrowded schools can lead to reduced student performance, with multi-tracked schools showing two percent lower average test scores than traditional schools in various national assessments. The resolution suggests that multi-tracking, which divides students into different groups attending year-round on alternating schedules, is not only ineffective but also more expensive in the long run, further jeopardizing community and family cohesion.

Summary

SCR230, a Senate Concurrent Resolution from the Thirty-Third Legislature of Hawaii, addresses the issue of school overcrowding by requesting the Department of Education to discontinue the practice of mandating that certain students attend schools outside their service areas. The resolution highlights the negative impact of overcrowding on student achievement, teacher morale, and the overall learning environment. It argues that the current practice, particularly in the Kapolei complex, exacerbates these challenges.

Contention

A notable point of contention revolves around the reassignment of students from the Nanakuli complex to the Kapolei complex. The resolution proposes that allowing students to stay within their home complex would aid in balancing student distribution and mitigate the current overcrowding issues without resorting to multi-tracking. This proposal raises questions about the Department of Education's current policies and their effectiveness in managing school populations in different districts.