STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3286

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  H.B. No. 2092
                                        S.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Education and Technology, to which was
referred H.B. No. 2092 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to amend chapter 304, Hawaii
Revised Statutes, to request the Department of Education to adopt
rules to establish the Running Start Program.

     This program would allow public high school students to
obtain University of Hawaii credits and high school credits
simultaneously.

     Testimony in support of the measure was received from
Hawai'i School-to-Work, McKinley High School, Kalani High School,
Kaiser High School, Farrington High School, HSTA, and four
individuals.  The Department of Education (DOE) submitted
testimony supporting the intent but believes the measure is
unnecessary.  The University of Hawai'i (UH) supports the measure
but asks that it be held.

     Your Committee finds that in order for Hawaii to play an
active role in the global marketplace, significant steps in both
business and education must be taken.  The Running Start program
would expand educational options for public high school students
by providing them with multiple options and enable them to:


 
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     (1)  Earn high school credit and college credits
          simultaneously;

     (2)  Complete their education sooner by reducing the amount
          of time spent in school;

     (3)  Reduce the costs of a college education; and

     (4)  Make the transition to college easier by strengthening
          the connections between high schools and post-secondary
          institutions.

Overall this measure provides positive opportunities and options
for students.  In doing so, it would raise the bar of learning
and provide an incentive for students to remain in Hawaii for
their post-secondary education.

     Your Committee amended this measure by:

     (1)  Partially amending the definition of "eligible student"
          in sections 1 and 2 of the measure to mean a high
          school student in the eleventh or twelfth grade who:

          (A)  Has passed a standardized test administered by the
               college; and

          (B)  Has other qualifications deemed appropriate by the
               DOE and/or the UH;

     (2)  Conditioning transferrability of course credits based
          on a student's admission to the UH campus where the
          credit is transferred;

     (3)  Requiring every student enrolled in a college course
          through the running start program to remit appropriate
          tuition and fees to the college; and

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments to reflect
          proper drafting style.

     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 H.B. No. 2092, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass
Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2092,
S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.


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



                                   ______________________________
                                   DAVID Y. IGE, Chair

 
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