STAND. COM. REP. NO. 665

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1152

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1152, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to enhance the achievement of students through a smaller school environment.

 

More specifically, the measure establishes the framework and criteria for the Department of Education to implement smaller learning communities, including the creation of smaller schools or schools-within-schools.

 

     The Department of Education and the Good Beginnings Alliance submitted comments on this measure.  The Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii submitted comments in opposition.

 

     Your Committee finds that students in smaller schools are more successful academically than those in larger schools, have higher graduation rates, and are more likely to take advanced-level courses and to participate in extracurricular activities.

 

     Your Committee further finds that although Hawaii has explored smaller learning communities in the past, the State has not been able to implement a system-wide smaller learning communities initiative.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion; and

 

(2)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity and style.

 

     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. 1152, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1152, S.D. 2.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair