STAND. COM. REP. 1130

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: S.B. No. 16

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Education and Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 16, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to create a tuition reimbursement program for individuals who graduate from a state-approved teacher education program in Hawaii and who teach in Hawaii public schools for at least six consecutive years.

The University of Hawaii, Hawaii Association of Independent Schools, and the Hawaii Business Roundtable, University of Phoenix—Hawaii Campus, Hawaii State PTSA, and the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board submitted testimony in support of this bill. The Department of Education submitted testimony in support of the intent of this bill.

Your Committees find that education is a top priority in Hawaii. To provide Hawaii's youth with access to a quality education, we must ensure that there are qualified teachers available to teach in this State. Your Committees understand that incentives such as extending the eligibility of a tuition reimbursement program will encourage the retention of teachers in Hawaii.

Your Committees have amended this bill by making technical, nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity and style.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Higher Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 16, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 16, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Higher Education,

 

____________________________

K. MARK TAKAI, Chair

____________________________

ROY M. TAKUMI, Chair