STAND. COM. REP. NO.2439

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2002

RE: S.B. No. 2264

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2264 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to define, for statistical purposes:

(1) "Teaching out-of-field" as teaching outside the areas of preparation indicated on an individual's license; and

(2) "Out-of-field teacher" as an individual who is teaching outside the areas of preparation indicated on the individual's license.

Your Committee received testimony in support of the measure from the Superintendent of Education, Hawaii Teachers Standards Board, Hawaii State Teachers Association, Punahou School, and two private individuals.

Your Committee finds that teachers are the key to quality education and must possess knowledge of the subject matter they teach. This policy will help ensure that all teachers are not only properly licensed but assigned to teach in areas consistent with their license and subject matter background as well.

Your Committee has amended the measure by:

(1) Inserting language from S.B. No. 3030 which:

(A) Strengthens documentation of the emergency hires of out-of-field teachers; and

(B) Requires publication of this enhanced documentation by the Superintendent of Education under Chapter 1-28.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and on the Department of Education's World Wide Web site;

(2) Deleting all references to supplemental forms issued by the Hawaii Teachers Standards Board; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

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. 2264, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2264, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

____________________________

NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair