STAND. COM. REP. NO. 575

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 1307
                                        S.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Education and Technology, to which was
referred S.B. No. 1307 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SCHOOL PERFORMANCE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to require each school to set
its own performance indicators and submit an annual self-
evaluation progress report to the superintendent.  This measure
also requires the superintendent to evaluate any school not
meeting its goals, making changes in resources and personnel as
appropriate.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the
Hawaii Congress of Parents, Teachers, and Students, and a
concerned parent.  Testimony in support of the intent of this
measure was submitted by the Department of Education, and Common
Cause Hawaii.  The Hawaii State Teachers Association submitted
testimony in opposition to this measure.

     Your Committee believes that an educational accountability
system will lead to the improvement in the quality of Hawaii's
schools.  However, your Committee agrees with the Department of
Education's concerns about the logistical feasibility of this
measure and its piecemeal approach in mandating each school's
self-evaluation.  The Department of Education asserts that only a
comprehensive accountability system will truly stimulate and
support improved performance.


 
a                                                     SB1307 SD1
                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 575
                                   Page 2


     In light of these concerns, your Committee has amended this
measure to delete the original requirements of self-evaluation
for each school and, instead, inserted language in Section 302A-
1004, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), to require the Department of
Education to establish a comprehensive accountability system,
which will include a student assessment program and school
profiles that report on student performance measures, school
attendance, drop-out rates, and parental involvement in each
school.  This amendment requires the Department of Education to
report to the legislature and the governor on the status of the
design and implementation of this comprehensive accountability
system prior to the convening of the regular legislative sessions
of 2000 and 2001.  Beginning in school year 2001-2002, the
Department of Education must submit annual reports to the
legislature on the findings and actions of the comprehensive
accountability system.  Section 302A-1004, HRS, has also been
amended to provide for the repeal of reporting school-by-school
assessments on June 30, 2001, as it will no longer be necessary.

     Your Committee has also made technical, nonsubstantive
amendments for the purposes of clarity.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Education and Technology that is attached to this
report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose
of S.B. No. 1307, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass
Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1307,
S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   DAVID Y. IGE, Chair

 
a                                                     SB1307 SD1