STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1715

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

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




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

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred
S.C.R. No. 210, S.D. 1, entitled:

     "SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE
     REFERENCE BUREAU TO CONDUCT A STUDY ON THE DEPARTMENT OF
     EDUCATION'S 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 Legislative
Reference Bureau, with the assistance of the Department of
Education, to conduct a study on the Department of Education's
plan to move sixth grade students from the elementary schools to
intermediate schools to implement the middle school program.

     Specifically, this measure requests the Legislative
Reference Bureau 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;


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

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

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

     Your Committee finds that policy decisions concerning
curriculum, teaching, and learning in the public school system
are more appropriately made by the Board of Education, the
Superintendent of Education, the Department of Education, and
their "customers".  The decision to move sixth grade students
from the elementary schools to intermediate schools to implement
the middle school program should be weighed against 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 used to justify this
policy decision to parents, teachers, and students.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Requesting the Department of Education to:

          (A)  Conduct this study and submit findings and
               recommendations to the Legislature;

          (B)  Submit a status report to the Legislature before
               June 30, 1999; and

          (C)  Submit a final report to the Legislature before
               the convening of the Regular Session of 2000,
               rather than the Regular Session of 2001; and

     (2)  Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of
          clarity, consistency, and style.

     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 S.C.R. No. 210,
S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the
form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 210, S.D. 2.

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1715
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                                 Respectfully submitted on behalf
                                 of the members of the Committee
                                 on Ways and Means,



                                 ________________________________
                                 CAROL FUKUNAGA, Co-Chair



                                 ________________________________
                                 ANDREW LEVIN, Co-Chair

 
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