URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO SUPPORT EXPANDED COMMUNITY ACCESS TO OUTDOOR PUBLIC SCHOOL FACILITIES AND GROUNDS DURING NON-SCHOOL HOURS.

HCR99

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

99

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

urging the department of education to support expanded
community access to outdoor public school facilities and grounds during
non-school hours
.

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WHEREAS, public
schools are vital community institutions that serve students, their families,
and local communities; and

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WHEREAS, many
public school campuses across Hawaii include outdoor facilities, such as
playgrounds, athletic fields, basketball courts, tracks, and open green spaces,
that can provide safe and accessible places for physical activity and community
connection; and

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WHEREAS, access
to outdoor recreational spaces is essential to supporting the health and
well-being of Hawaii's keiki and their families; and

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WHEREAS, many
communities across the State experience limited access to parks, recreational
facilities, and safe places for youth to play, particularly in dense urban
areas and neighborhoods where public open space is scarce; and

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WHEREAS, public
health organizations, youth advocates, and community groups across Hawaii have
identified expanded access to safe outdoor recreational spaces as an important
strategy for improving youth health and supporting more active communities; and

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WHEREAS, expanding
community access to existing public school outdoor facilities during non-school
hours, including weekends, represents an opportunity to maximize the use of
public infrastructure to promote healthier and more active communities; and

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WHEREAS, shared
use of school recreational spaces has been successfully implemented in
jurisdictions across the United States as a strategy to increase physical
activity, strengthen community ties, and support childhood development; and

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WHEREAS, policies
that encourage community use of outdoor school spaces can help foster stronger
relationships between schools and the communities they serve, while supporting
broader public health goals; now, therefore,

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BE IT
RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the
State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2026, the Senate concurring, that the
Department of Education is urged to support efforts to expand community access
to outdoor public school facilities and grounds during non-school hours,
including opportunities for weekend access, where appropriate and feasible; and

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BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that the Department of Education is encouraged to explore
opportunities to facilitate community use of outdoor school spaces in a manner
that balances respect for school operations and positive community engagement;
and

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BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that the Department of Education is encouraged to engage with
interested stakeholders about exploring opportunities that allow public school
campuses to serve as spaces that promote physical activity for youth and
community health; and

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BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the
Chairperson of the Board of Education and Superintendent of Education.

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title:
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Department
of Education; Public School Facilities; Community Access