HCR 153 Summary

• Requests the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, University of Hawaii, Department of Education, and Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to jointly identify economic growth opportunities and develop "keiki to career pathways" programs for kindergarten through twelfth grade students.

• Directs the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism and Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to identify industries that may thrive in various regions of Hawaii and develop regional economic plans for each industry.

• Requires each regional economic plan to include information about the industry, geographical area, nearby educational institutions, state facilities available for redevelopment, and local entities that can assist in curriculum development.

• Instructs the Department of Education and University of Hawaii to develop curriculum for each career pathway and align these pathways to regional economic plans to close the gap between business needs and education outcomes.

• Designates the Whitmore Project (which coordinates secondary education with agricultural industry skill needs) as a model for the regional economic planning process.