STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1188

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.C.R. No. 188

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 188 entitled:

 

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE STATE PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL COMMISSION TO CONTINUE EFFORTS TO ADDRESS PUBLIC SCHOOL CAPACITY ISSUES THROUGH CHARTER SCHOOL APPLICANTS AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW TO STRENGTHEN THESE EFFORTS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the State Public Charter School Commission to:

 

     (1)  Continue its efforts to encourage prospective public charter school applicants to address larger public education system needs, such as the need for increased school capacity in particular geographic areas;

 

     (2)  Intensify its efforts to raise awareness among community stakeholders, including state and county agencies, developers, and community-based organizations, of the potential of public charter schools to resolve these needs, and the rigorous application process of the State Public Charter School Commission; and

 

     (3)  Assess existing and proposed legislative means for incentivizing prospective public charter school applicants to submit proposals addressing public school overcrowding and the need for additional public school capacity.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State Public Charter School Commission and Hawaii State Teachers Association.

 

     Your Committee finds that a vibrant public charter school community can simultaneously meet the niche curricular and instructional needs of students while relieving pressures on Department of Education schools presented by over-population.  The State Public Charter School Commission should be encouraged to continue efforts to charter high quality schools to expand enrollment options for Hawaii families.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 188 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair