STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3697

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.C.R. No. 137

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 137, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO CONVENE A WORKING GROUP TO REVIEW AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS IN HAWAII'S PUBLIC MIDDLE AND INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Education to convene a working group to review after-school programs in Hawaii's public middle and intermediate schools.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from Hawaii Afterschool Alliance, After-School All-Stars Hawaii, and five individuals.

 

     Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Education, Department of Human Services, Office of Youth Services, and one individual.

 

     Your Committee finds that many middle and intermediate school students lack access to safe and structured after-school activities.  Students in low-income families suffer the most from the lack of access, since their parents often work multiple jobs and finish work long after the school day is complete.  Your Committee recognizes that the Department of Education established the After-School Plus Program in 1990 to provide after-school care, including enrichment activities and supervised recreational activities, at more than one hundred ninety participating schools.  While the program is open to elementary school students whose parents work, attend school, or participate in job-training programs, the program is not available for students in middle and intermediate public schools.  Accordingly, your Committee believes that a review of after-school programs in Hawaii's public middle and intermediate schools is appropriate for the purpose of exploring ways to improve the availability, quality, and coordination of these programs.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Requesting that the Superintendent of Education or the Superintendent's designee invite representatives from the Office of the Lieutenant Governor and Hawaii Afterschool Alliance to join the working group; and

 

     (2)  Adding the Lieutenant Governor and the Hawaii Afterschool Alliance to the certified copy transmittal list.

 

     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 concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 137, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 137, S.D. 2.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair