Bill > SB895

This bill establishes new requirements for kindergarten assessments in public and charter schools, mandating that each kindergarten teacher conduct a developmentally appropriate, observational assessment of each child's development and school readiness, including language, cognitive, social-emotional, and physical skills, as well as prior preschool attendance, to be completed in two parts within the first two months and the eighth month of school, with the information used solely for instructional planning, identifying student support needs, and parent communication, and explicitly prohibiting its use for student retention, high-stakes accountability, school ranking, or teacher evaluation, while also stating that these assessments do not require commercially developed instruments or external teacher training beyond standard requirements, and authorizing the Board of Education to adopt rules to implement these provisions while preserving teacher judgment. Additionally, the bill repeals certain requirements for the Department of Education and the State Public Charter School Commission to share data with the Department of Human Services, streamlining data sharing related to early childhood education.

Education

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=895&year=2026