STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1600

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: H.C.R. No. 7
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.C.R.
No. 7 entitled: 

     "HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
     AND THE SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION TO RESTRUCTURE THE
     DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO ENSURE ACCOUNTABILITY AT ALL
     LEVELS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to urge the
Board of Education and the Superintendent of Education to
restructure the Department of Education to ensure accountability
at all levels.  

     The Superintendent of Education testified in support of this
concurrent resolution but, recommended several amendments. The
Hawaii State Teachers Association supported the intent of the
concurrent resolution.

     Your Committee is committed to improving accountability in
Hawaii's public school system as the foundation for educational
improvement.  Many parties impact the quality of education, and
only when their respective roles are defined and those parties
are assessed on the basis of their defined roles can public
education in Hawaii advance.

     Your Committee has amended this concurrent resolution by
incorporating the recommendations of the Superintendent of

 
 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1600
                                 Page 2

 
Education.  Specifically, your Committee has amended this measure
by:

     (1)  Indicating that Hawaii has a very high rate of
          enrollment in private schools rather than the highest
          rate when compared to other schools in the nation;

     (2)  Adding the Governor, the Legislature, and students to
          the list of parties who influence the quality of
          education; and

     (3)  Adding support by adequate resources and supportive
          legislative and policy agenda as an attribute of
          effective accountability.

     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 H.C.R. No. 7, as
amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the
Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 7,
H.D. 1.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   KEN ITO, Chair