STAND. COM. REP. NO.  842-14

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1675

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1675 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to improve public education by:

 

     (1)  Eliminating the requirement that all public schools, except charter and multi-track public schools implement a school year of 180 days, which must include 1,080 student instructional hours for elementary and secondary school grades, for the 2016-2018 school years;

 

     (2)  Requiring instead that all public secondary schools, except charter and multi-track public schools, implement a school year that includes 990 student instructional hours, beginning with the 2014-2015 school year; and

 

     (3)  Allowing the Board of Education to define "student instructional hours."

 

     The Department of Education provided testimony in support of this measure.  The Hawaii State Teachers Association, Hui for Excellence in Education, and numerous individuals provided testimony in opposition to this measure.  The Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO; IMUAlliance; and an individual provided comments on this measure.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2030, for the purpose of facilitating further discussion; and

 

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

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1675, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1675, H.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair