HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

163

TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2010

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

Requesting a report on the feasibility of and steps that must be taken to effectuate transferring schools on military bases in hawaii to the Department of defense educational activity.

 

 

 


     WHEREAS, more than 15,000 students in Hawaii public schools, or approximately eight per cent of the total student population, are children of military families; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Hawaii Department of Education receives federal Impact Aid, which is intended to assist the school system in covering the increased expenditures due to the enrollment of federally connected students, including the children of military families; and

 

     WHEREAS, the amount of Impact Aid received by the Department of Education is not sufficient to cover the costs of educating the children of military families in Hawaii; and

 

     WHEREAS, Congress recently declared that military dependents may pay income taxes in their home state, which may reduce the amount of income taxes the State of Hawaii receives from military dependents and, in turn, may further reduce the amount of money available for public education; and

 

     WHEREAS, there are a number of schools in Hawaii that are located on military bases; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Department of Defense Education Activity operates schools for eligible family members of United States military personnel and civilian personnel of the Department of Defense; and

 

     WHEREAS, through its Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary Schools program, the Department of Defense Education Activity operates schools in seven states; and

 

     WHEREAS, transferring the public schools located on military bases in Hawaii to the Department of Defense Education Activity may alleviate the financial burden placed on the Department of Education and on Hawaii taxpayers; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2010, the Senate concurring, that the Department of Education is requested to report on the feasibility of and steps that would need to be taken to effectuate transferring the public schools located on military bases to the Department of Defense Education Activity; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education is requested to submit any findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2011; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to members of Hawaii's congressional delegation, the Governor, the Chairperson of the Board of Education, the Superintendent of Education, and the Commander, United States Pacific Command.

 

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

 

 

Report Title: 

Education; Schools on Military Bases