STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1609

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: H.C.R. No. 167
                                     




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.C.R.
No. 167 entitled:

     "HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE BOARD OF
     EDUCATION TO ESTABLISH A COMMUNITY SERVICE REQUIREMENT FOR
     GRADUATION FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND TO DIRECT THE SUPERINTENDENT
     OF EDUCATION TO DEVELOP COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAMS TO MEET
     THIS REQUIREMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request the Board of
Education to establish a community service requirement for
graduation from high school and to direct the Superintendent of
Education to develop community service programs to meet this
requirement.

     In addition, this measure requests the Board of Education to
submit a status report to the Legislature on the adoption of a
policy requiring students to perform community service in order
to graduate from high school prior to the convening of each
regular session until the Board adopts the policy.

     Your Committee received testimony from the Department of
Education supporting the intent of community service programs but
disagreeing that community service should be mandated for
graduation from high school.


 
a                                                         99-2338
 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1609
                                 Page 2

 
     Your Committee finds that the latest trend in education is
to incorporate service learning or community service into the
curriculum.  The philosophy behind service learning is that
students learn by doing--a theory that underlies a lot of the
education reform movement.  Through community service, students
not only learn about their communities, but the communities also
benefit from the service.  In addition, the students experience
the satisfaction of making a meaningful contribution to their
communities, and the communities come to realize that the
students have a meaningful contribution to make to society as a
whole.

     Your Committee also finds that several hundred mainland
school districts now mandate community service, and that the
Board of Education has the power, in accordance with law, to
formulate statewide educational policy--including requirements
for graduation from high school.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your
Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 167,
and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Education,



                                   ______________________________
                                   KEN ITO, Chair

 
a                                                         99-2338