STAND. COM. REP. NO. 563

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: S.B. No. 1221

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 1221 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STUDENTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to phase in the reduction of class size in grades three, four, and five to twenty-five students per classroom.

Testimony in support of the measure was submitted by the Department of Education and Hawaii State Teachers Association.

Your Committee finds that numerous studies have proven smaller class size enhances student achievement. In Act 51, Session Laws of Hawaii 2004, the Legislature provided for the reduction of class size in kindergarten, grade one, and grade two. This measure will expand this trend. Not only students benefit from smaller class size. Teachers assigned to smaller class size classrooms experience fewer discipline problems and are able to move more quickly through their curriculum.

Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended this measure by adding the following provisions:

(1) Requiring the department to reduce the ratio of students to teachers in kindergarten to grade two to not more than eighteen students to one teacher;

(2) Requiring additional part-time teachers, aides, or both be added when one to twenty-six ratio is exceeded in grades three to five;

(3) Providing funds for part-time teachers and tutors in needy elementary and intermediate schools; and

(4) Appropriating funds for the reduction of class size in kindergarten to grade two.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1221, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1221, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education and Military Affairs,

____________________________

NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair