STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1154

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 874

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committees on Hawaiian Affairs and Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 874, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE IMMERSION PROGRAM,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Department of Education to collaborate with stakeholders in the Hawaiian language community to develop and implement annual assessments in the Hawaiian language for language arts, mathematics, and science for students in the ka papahana kaiapuni program.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Department of Education, State Public Charter School Commission, Aha Moku Advisory Committee, Ka Haka Ula O Keelikolani, Kamehameha Schools, Hawaiian Affairs Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Aha Punana Leo, Ewa Puuloa Hawaiian Civic Club, King Kamehameha Hawaiian Civic Club, Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, Ke Kula O Nawahiokalaniopuu, Kalihi Palama Hawaiian Civic Club; Hawaii State Teachers Association, Hawaii Public Charter Schools Network, and twenty-eight individuals.

 

     Your Committees find that this measure would provide the State's nationally-recognized and acclaimed Hawaiian language immersion schools and their students with a fair and meaningful opportunity to participate in national and state educational assessment programs.  This measure would address the inequity resulting from assessment tests being tailored for English speaking students being given to students in the ka papahana kaiapuni program.  Your Committees further note the testimony from the Hawaii State Teachers Association that the inequitable results of testing ka papahana kaiapuni students using an English based test should in no way be deemed an accurate reflection of the abilities of students, teachers, or schools.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by deleting its contents and inserting language agreed upon by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and the Department of Education, which:

 

     (1)  Provides that the purpose of this measure is to require the Department of Education to develop annual non‑translated assessments in the Hawaiian language for language arts, mathematics and science;

 

     (2)  Specifically references the 2013 appropriation to the Department of Education to develop assessments in the Hawaiian language;

 

     (3)  Requires the Department of Education to submit a preliminary and final report to the Legislature on the status of the development and administration of the non-translated assessments and the status of any federal compliance issues, including waivers sought from the United States Department of Education;

 

     (4)  Appropriates funds to the Department of Education for the continued development and administration of annual non-translated assessments in the Hawaiian language; and

 

     (5)  Makes this measure effective upon approval.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Hawaiian Affairs and Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 874, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 874, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

________________________________

MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair

 

________________________________

MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO, Chair