STAND. COM. REP. NO. 643-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: H.B. No. 2490
                                     H.D. 1
                                     



Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No.
2490 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII TEACHER STANDARDS
     BOARD,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to allow the Hawaii Teacher
Standards Board (HTSB) to extend credentials on a case-by-case
basis for up to two years.

     Several individuals supported this bill.  The HTSB supported
this bill with amendments.  The Department of Education supported
the intent of this bill.  The Hawaii State Teacher's Association
opposed this bill.

     Your Committee finds that this bill will provide credential
extensions to teachers who, through no fault of their own, have
been unable to complete licensing requirements within the given
three-year time limit.  This bill will ensure that the Department
of Education will not lose excellent new teachers simply because
they were unable to complete licensing requirements due to
scheduling conflicts, geographical isolation, or other
unavoidable problems.

     Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended this
bill by:


 
 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 643-00
                                 Page 2

 
     (1)  Delineating the requirements for submitting credential
          extension requests including:

          (A)  Documentation of extenuating circumstances;

          (B)  Narrative evaluation from school principal; and 

          (C)  Proposed action plan;

     (2)  Delineating the criteria for granting credential
          extension requests including:

          (A)  The extent to which the individual was deterred
               from meeting licensing requirements by
               circumstances beyond the individual's control;

          (B)  The diligence with which the individual pursued
               licensing;

          (C)  Strong teaching performance; and

          (D)  Feasibility of the individual's action plan;

     (3)  Changing the effective date to take effect upon
          approval with a sunset provision repealing the Act on
          June 30, 2002; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your
Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No.
2490, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second
Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2490, H.D. 1, and
be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   KEN ITO, Chair