HI HB1078

Board of education must meet by August 1, 2021 with alumni, students, parents, and deaf community representatives to discuss converting the Hawaii School for the Deaf and Blind to a charter school and explore alternatives including an immersion school structure.

Department of education must submit a letter of intent to an authorizer by October 1, 2021 to convert the school to a charter school, establish a governing board, and develop a detailed implementation plan with funding requirements.

Implementation plan must ensure the school remains on the same property with same facilities and funding levels, automatically admit students whose individualized education programs prescribe the school's support, and include a transition timeline.

Department must report to the legislature with the implementation plan and any proposed legislation no later than forty days before the 2022 regular legislative session.

Conversion charter schools must enroll any student whose individualized education program prescribes support for blind, deaf, or hard of hearing students in addition to existing geographic service area enrollment requirements.