STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1058

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.R. No. 43

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.R. No. 43 entitled:

 

"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO RESEARCH STATE MODELS AND BEST PRACTICES ON HOME SCHOOLED STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN PUBLIC SCHOOL EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND SPORTS AND EXPLORE IMPLEMENTATION OF SUCH A PROGRAM IN HAWAII,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Board of Education to research state models and best practices on home schooled student participation in public school extracurricular activities and sports and explore the implementation of such a program in Hawaii.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education and two individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that there are currently thirty-five states that allow home schooled students to participate in extracurricular activities in some way or leave the decision to allow such participation to the local school boards or individual public schools.  In contrast, the Board of Education currently does not have a policy allowing home schooled students to participate in extracurricular and sports in Hawaii's public schools.

 

     Your Committee further finds that home schooled students may benefit from participation in extracurricular activities and sports in the same manner as their public school counterparts but understands the concerns raised by various stakeholders.  This measure requests that the Board of Education look at best practices and models in other states in the area of home schooled student participation in extracurricular activities and sports to determine what type of policy, if any, would work best in the State.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 43 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair