S.B. 2690 Summary

• Establishes a network improvement community task force within the University of Hawaii to develop a K-12 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teacher education degree program, coordinated through University of Hawaii Maui college.

• Task force membership includes the chancellor of UH Maui college, the Baldwin-Kekaulike-Maui complex area superintendent, the headmaster of Kamehameha Schools Maui, and the dean of UH Manoa college of education, with authority to add additional members.

• Task force shall develop baseline data on current K-12 STEM teachers, recruit STEM majors into teaching, build partnerships with high-need school districts, and create retention pathways with emphasis on recruiting Native Hawaiian, Filipino, and other underrepresented minority teachers.

• Requires interim report to legislature by twenty days prior to the 2021 regular session and final report by twenty days prior to the 2022 regular session; task force dissolves July 1, 2022.

• Appropriates unspecified funds for fiscal year 2020-2021 to support the task force activities and one full-time STEM entrepreneur-resident position at UH Maui college, plus unspecified funds for the office of international and regional partnerships' study abroad programs.