STAND. COM. REP. NO. 951

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: S.B. No. 1636

S.D. 2

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1636, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TEACHERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish annual increment salary increases for teachers.

Specifically, this measure grants annual salary increments of 3.14 per cent of their annual salaries to public school teachers for satisfactory service, if they earn under $50,000 a year. Furthermore, this measure grants a biannual performance step increases of 3.14 per cent of their annual salaries to public school teachers for positive performance, if they earn at least $50,000 a year.

For teachers who do not qualify for an annual increment or a biannual performance step increase under section 302A-626, the measure provides an annual increment or longevity increase, as the case may be, for a year's satisfactory service in any fiscal year.

Also, this measure augments the current teacher evaluation program by requiring more frequent evaluations and by establishing a comprehensive evaluation process, including an advisory team to work with the teacher and principal in the event of a negative evaluation.

Your Committee finds that, under current law the amounts of annual increments and longevity steps are left specified, and longevity is emphasized over performance. Your Committee believes that performance should be emphasized over longevity and that the specific amounts of those increments and steps are a matter of such public importance that its determination cannot be left to the whims and uncertainties of the collective bargaining process.

Your Committee has amended this measure by clarifying that the salary increases are for teachers, and not for other personnel of bargaining unit 05. Your Committee has also made technical amendments for the purposes of style and clarity.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1636, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1636, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair