STAND. COM. REP. NO. 513

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: S.B. No. 908

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Education and Military Affairs and Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 908 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish the department of education as a political subdivision headed by the board of education.

This measure also establishes an educational restructuring and transition committee to assist in the restructuring of the department of education and the public educational system.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Hawaii Government Employees Association. Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by the Department of Budget and Finance and one individual. Comments on this measure were also submitted by the Board of Education.

Your Committees find that an educational crisis exists in Hawaii's public educational system in that it suffers from numerous deficiencies which results in low test scores, the weakening of teaching staff, and low learning expectations. Your Committees further find that the development of a system that provides answers to funding issues as well as accountability problems is crucial to a successful public school system. Additionally, the reform of the governance of the statewide educational system through the establishment of clear lines of authority and responsibility in fiscal matters, policy issues, and managerial oversight is an issue that must also be addressed.

Your Committees have determined that establishing the Department of Education (DOE) as a political subdivision will allow the DOE to effectively and efficiently utilize its existing resources in an autonomous manner, by which it is accountable only to the public at large. The creation of an educational restructuring and transition committee will help to facilitate the restructuring of the DOE and the public educational system. Furthermore, your Committees believe that this committee should be formed immediately in order to begin to address the numerous issues involved in the restructuring of the DOE and the public school system.

Accordingly, your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date of the Act to make section 12, which establishes the educational restructuring and transition committee, to be effective upon approval, prior to the constitutional amendment being placed on the ballot; and

(2) By adding two members of the business community to the committee.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Military Affairs and Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 908, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 908, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Military Affairs and Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

COLLEEN HANABUSA, Chair

____________________________

NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair