STAND. COM. REP. NO. 116

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 1270
                                        




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Education and Technology, to which was
referred S.B. No. 1270 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to give the Department of
Education more flexibility in regulating courses of study by
eliminating the requirement that fifty percent of each school day
be devoted to oral expression, written composition, and spelling.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the
Department of Education, and the Hawaii State Parent, Teacher,
and Student Association.

     Your Committee finds that while oral expression, written
composition, and spelling are important aspects in the
educational curriculum, there are times when meeting the letter
of the law, i.e., the fifty percent requirement of each
instructional day, is not feasible or practical.  There are many
student learning experiences which can be enhanced by field trips
within the community, opportunities to work alongside visiting
artists, writers, and musicians, and exciting classroom lessons
which can take more than fifty percent of one day.  These
enhanced learning situations provide students with a range and
depth of experience and knowledge which will enable them to
learn, grow, and achieve.  The rigid time requirements mandated
in the current statute technically prevents such beneficial
encounters from taking place.

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 116
                                   Page 2


     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Education and Technology that is attached to this
report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose
of S.B. No. 1270 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and
be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   DAVID Y. IGE, Chair

 
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