STAND. COM. REP. NO.570

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: S.B. No. 349

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Education and Science, Arts, and Technology, to which was referred S.B. No. 349 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to support the development of quality schools and teachers through enhanced information technology, recruitment and retention incentives for teachers, and a system of rewards for achieving performance goals and assistance for failing to achieve performance goals.

Testimony in support of the intent of this measure was submitted by the Department of Education. Testimony expressing comments and concerns was submitted by the Hawaii State Teachers Association and the Hawaii Government Employees Association.

Your Committees find that this measure is part of a package of measures that reflects discussions held during the 2002 interim involving various stakeholders and constituencies within the public education community. Your Committees further find that with regard to improving quality schools and teaching, ideas such as lengthening the school day and school year and establishing coherent school schedules within a school complex were advocated, however, existing authority to undertake these initiatives rests with the Board of Education and the Department of Education. Other issues, such as those included in this measure, are being proposed for further consideration during this legislative session as part of the larger discussion of systemic education reform.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting the provisions providing for recruitment and retention of teachers in hard-to-fill positions; and

(2) Deleting the provisions establishing the school administrator training academy.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Science, Arts, and Technology that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 349, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 349, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Science, Arts, and Technology,

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DAVID Y. IGE, Chair

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NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair