STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1319

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.C.R. No. 70
                                        S.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Education and Technology, to which was
referred S.C.R. No. 70 entitled:

     "SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING PREPARATION OF AN
     ARCHITECTURAL PLAN WHICH INCLUDES THE PARTICIPATION OF THE
     COMMUNITY PRIOR TO ESTABLISHING MIDDLE SCHOOLS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of
Education to prepare an architectural plan which includes the
participation of the community prior to establishing middle
schools.

     Verbal testimony in support of this measure was given by two
concerned individuals.  The Department of Education submitted
testimony in opposition to this measure.

     Your Committee finds that this measure, and its companion,
S.R. No. 97, S.D. 1, as well as S.C.R. No. 210, S.D. 1, and its
companion, S.R. No. 96, S.D. 1, address community concerns about
the Department of Education's middle school policy and
implementation plan.  Your Committee further finds that while the
Department of Education has attested to its consultation with
district superintendents and various community members in
formulating the middle school policy, many other community
members and concerned parents claim that they were not adequately
informed of the impact and repercussions of Department of
Education's middle school plan. 


 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1319
                                   Page 2


     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Amending the title to read as follows:
          "URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO SUSPEND THE
          ESTABLISHMENT OF ANY ADDITIONAL MIDDLE SCHOOLS";

     (2)  Adding the request that the Department of Education
          suspend the establishment of any additional middle
          schools; 

     (3)  Requesting the Department of Education review research
          studies, including any Legislative Reference Bureau
          studies, and consider parent, student, and community
          input when developing future middle school plans; and

     (4)  Deleting the requirement that the Department of
          Education develop an architectural plan regarding its
          middle school implementation. 

     Your Committee notes that S.C.R. No. 210, S.D. 1, also
refers to the Department of Education's middle school plan, by
requesting the the Legislative Reference Bureau study the
implications of the middle school plan.  It is the intent of your
Committee that this study be part of the basis for the middle
school policy reform addressed in this measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Education and Technology that is attached to this
report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of
S.C.R. No. 70, as amended herein, and recommends that it be
referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, in the form attached
hereto as S.C.R. No. 70, S.D. 1.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   DAVID Y. IGE, Chair

 
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