STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1961

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: S.C.R. No. 210
                                     S.D. 2




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 S.C.R.
No. 210, S.D. 2, entitled:

     "SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF
     EDUCATION TO CONDUCT A STUDY ON THE PLAN TO MOVE SIXTH GRADE
     STUDENTS FROM ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS TO INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of
Education to conduct a study on the plan to move sixth grade
students from elementary schools to intermediate schools in order
to implement the middle school program.

     Specifically, this measure requests the Department of
Education to:

     (1)  Investigate and consider the concerns of affected
          parents and communities;

     (2)  Investigate and consider the concerns of sixth grade
          students, as well as other elementary and intermediate
          school-aged students;

     (3)  Determine the anticipated funding needs and resource
          adjustments of the Department of Education and affected
          schools;


 
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     (4)  Evaluate whether the "means" described in the middle
          school plan are appropriate given the desired "ends" of
          the middle school program;

     (5)  Evaluate alternatives to the middle school plan, such
          as combining seventh and eighth grades with elementary
          schools; and

     (6)  Submit a status report to the Legislature before
          June 30, 1999, and a final report containing findings
          and recommendations to the Legislature prior to the
          Regular Session of 2000.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure
from Life of the Land.  Testimony in opposition to this measure
was submitted by the Department of Education.

     Your Committee finds that policy decisions concerning
curriculum, teaching, and learning in the public school system
should be made by the Board of Education, the Superintendent of
Education, and the Department of Education only after meaningful
consultation with their most important "customers"--public school
students and the parents and guardians of public school students.
The decision to move sixth grade students from elementary schools
to intermediate schools in order to implement the middle school
program should be made only after thoughtfully weighing the costs
of this program, and the cost to other programs, and any
statistically significant improvements in student achievement.
Objective criteria and quantitative data, as well as subjective
criteria and qualitative data, should be thoroughly examined
before making this policy decision.

     Until these factors are thoroughly examined and thoughtfully
weighed, your Committee believes that it would be unwise for the
the Board of Education, the Superintendent of Education, and the
Department of Education to proceed any further with the
implementation of the middle school plan.  Existing middle
schools should be used by the Board, the Superintendent, and the
Department to thoroughly examine the costs and benefits of
further implementing the middle school plan.

     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. 210,
S.D. 2, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on
Finance.


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



                                   ______________________________
                                   KEN ITO, Chair

 
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