STAND. COM. REP. NO. 696

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1485

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1485 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO RECONSTITUTING SCHOOLS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to address struggling schools by allowing the Superintendent of Education to:

 

     (1)  Reconstitute a public school after certain considerations have been made, except for a charter school that has been in restructuring for four or more school years and has not made significant advancements toward improving academic performance; and

 

     (2)  Recommend to the Charter School Review Panel actions that should be taken to reconstitute a charter school that has been in restructuring for four or more school years or recommend that the charter school's charter be revoked.

 

     Your Committee received comments in support of this measure from Robert Witt, Executive Director, Hawaii Association of Independent Schools.

 

     Your Committee received comments in opposition to this measure from Leiomalama Desha, Executive Assistant, Hawaii Government Employees Association.

 

     Your Committee finds that this measure enhances the Superintendent of Education's ability to effect change in schools that are not adequately serving the academic needs of their students.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage 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. 1485, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1485, S.D. 1.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair