STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1678

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 1268

       H.D. 3

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1268, H.D. 3, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INNOVATION IN EDUCATION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to prepare Hawaii's students for their future success in the global economy by providing innovative educational programs, particularly in technical areas, that mix academic instruction with project-based contextual learning experiences to encourage students' greater participation and achievement.

 

     Specifically, this measure:

 

     (1)  Requires the Department of Education to establish the Applied Learning High School Academy Program;

 

     (2)  Statutorily establishes the Hawaii Excellence Through Science and Technology Academy Program, the Fostering Inspiration and Relevance Through Science and Technology Pre-Academy Program, the Robotics and Space Contextual Learning Program, the Research Experiences for Teachers Program, and the Professional Development Program to provide innovative learning experiences for students and teachers;

 

     (3)  Establishes a business/education internship and mentorship program within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to provide experiential learning experiences for students and graduates of Hawaii high schools;

 

     (4)  Addresses the chronic math and science teacher shortage in Hawaii schools by appropriating funds to be used as stipends to attract science, technology, engineering, and math graduates to post baccalaureate programs at the University of Hawaii; and

 

     (5)  Makes additional appropriations for the purposes of the Act.

 

The Governor, the University of Hawaii, the Hawaii Science & Technology Council, the High Technology Development Corporation, the American Society of Civil Engineers, 3D Innovations, LLC., Pukoa Scientific, LLC., and several individuals submitted comments in support of this measure.  The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism submitted comments in support and proposed amendments.  The Department of Education and the Hawaii State Teachers Association submitted comments in support of the intent of the bill.

 

     Your Committee finds that we must provide our youth with innovative methods to learn the skills that they will need to survive and excel in today's global, technologically oriented society.  Your Committee recognizes that smaller learning community programs already exist in Hawaii to address both student interest and needs of the workforce.  This measure complements those existing programs and creates additional opportunities focusing on science, technology, engineering, and math, initiatives, often referred to as STEM, for students.  Additionally, the measure provides initiatives that will attract, develop, and retain STEM oriented teachers for all grade levels.  Your Committee finds that Hawaii's economic success in the global marketplace is directly tied to our children's education in STEM fields that enables them to think critically and be adaptive, and to participate successfully in the technological economy of the twenty-first century.  This measure will provide a critical link between education and the workplace.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure to:

 

     (1)  Clarify that the five-year plan that a high school must develop to convert to an applied learning high school academy is intended to be submitted to the Department of Education at the same time that the letter of intent to convert to an applied learning school is submitted;

 

     (2)  Clarify that the five-year plan is a "conversion plan" to more accurately reflect the purpose of the plan and replace inconsistent references to the "five-year plan," the "plan," and "application plan," with the term "conversion plan"; and

 

     (3)  Make technical nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1268, H.D. 3, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1268, H.D. 3, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair