Requesting The Board Of Education And Department Of Education To Establish A Working Group To Develop A Climate Literacy Seal Of Excellence Framework In Hawaii Public Schools.
SCR161 is a Senate Concurrent Resolution requesting the Hawaii Board of Education and Department of Education to create a Climate Literacy Seal of Excellence Working Group for public schools. The working group would be tasked with designing a framework for a climate literacy diploma endorsement or seal that recognizes students who complete advanced coursework and experiential learning in climate science, sustainability, resilience, and related civic and workforce topics.
The resolution outlines the proposed membership of the working group, including education officials, a science teacher, a social studies/civics teacher, curriculum and career-and-technical education specialists, a University of Hawaii faculty member, a climate or environmental research representative, a sustainability-focused industry representative, and two public high school students. It also directs the group to recommend a course sequence, project-based learning requirements, criteria for earning the seal, educator professional development needs, alignment with graduation and CTE pathways, and an implementation timeline with resource considerations. The Department of Education is asked to report findings and any needed legislation or budget requests to the Legislature before the 2027 session.
Because SCR161 is a concurrent resolution rather than a bill, it does not itself change Hawaii statutes or create a new diploma endorsement. Its practical effect would be to prompt the Board of Education and Department of Education to convene a stakeholder working group and develop recommendations that could later lead to administrative action, budget requests, or future legislation. The resolution would affect public schools, educators, students, and education policymakers by advancing a potential climate-focused academic recognition program and by linking climate literacy to graduation, career and technical education, and civic education planning.
The overall sentiment reflected in the resolution is supportive and forward-looking, emphasizing the importance of climate education, sustainability, and community resilience for Hawaii students. The bill text frames climate change as a significant challenge and presents the proposed seal as a positive way to prepare students for future civic and workforce needs. No committee testimony, votes, or recorded opposition were provided, so there is no documented public debate in the supplied materials.
No specific contention is shown in the available record because there are no committee transcripts or votes. Potential areas of disagreement, based on the resolution’s requirements, could include the scope of climate-related curriculum, the burden on schools and educators, resource and implementation costs, and whether a climate literacy seal should be prioritized over other academic or workforce initiatives. The resolution anticipates these issues by asking the working group to address professional development, credentialing, phased implementation, and resource considerations.