S.C.R. No. 217 Summary

• Requests the Hawaii Department of Education create a working group to discuss and implement institutional changes to school suspension policies, citing research showing suspensions increase dropout rates and aggressive behavior while denying students education time.

• Addresses Hawaii's highest-in-nation suspension rate for students with disabilities and very high suspension rates for Native Hawaiians, as reported in the 2015-2016 Civil Rights Data Collection.

• Working group must convene by August 1, 2020, and include 13 specified members including school administrators, teachers, special education representatives, medical professionals, social service agencies, parent groups, civil rights organizations, and disability rights advocates.

• Working group tasked with evaluating research on suspension effects, examining restorative discipline models from other states, recommending strategies to reduce suspensions, and determining alternative discipline approaches.

• Requires working group to submit findings, recommendations, and proposed legislation to the Legislature no later than 30 days before the 2021 Regular Session convenes.