STAND. COM. REP. NO.990

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2001

RE: S.B. No. 1214

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 1214, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION FOR DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TEACHERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board to develop, implement, and administer a program to support National Board Certification candidates in the public schools. It provides that:

(1) Funds shall be appropriated for the yearly salary bonuses of $2,500 to National Board Certified public school teachers for each year their certificate is valid;

(2) Funds shall be appropriated to provide a $1,250 forgivable zero interest loan to teachers upon their submission to the superintendent or the superintendent's designee of evidence of the application for National Board Certification; and

(3) If a teacher is successful in the application the loan will be forgiven and be provided with an additional bonus of $1,250.

The Office of the Lieutenant Governor, HSTA, and the College of Education at the University of Hawaii supported the measure. The Department of Education and the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools supported the intent.

Your Committee finds that a support program, which rewards excellence from teachers, is needed. The state must recognize those who want to further their education and ability to teach our children by providing rewards and incentives.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the language to that of the companion measure, HB1669 HD2. It finds that the companion measure, HB1669 HD2, provides more of an incentive for teachers to become nationally certified. As amended:

(1) The national board certification candidate support program shall provide candidate support by reimbursement of candidate application fees;

(2) Funds shall be appropriated to provide salary bonuses of $5,000, instead of $2,500, to national board-certified public school teachers for each year their certificate is valid.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1214, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1214, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

KEN ITO, Chair