CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT NO.123

                            Honolulu, Hawaii
                                            , 2000

                            RE:   S.B. No. 2218
                                  S.D. 1
                                  H.D. 2
                                  C.D. 1




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

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

Sir:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the
Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives
in S.B. No. 2218, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, entitled:  

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO NEW CENTURY CHARTER SCHOOLS," 

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to
recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final
passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this measure is to:

     (1)  Provide legal protection to New Century Charter School
          (Charter School) boards;

     (2)  Allow a group of teachers to establish a Charter
          School;

     (3)  Require the Auditor to consider:


 
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          (A)  The recommendations of local school boards in
               determining the allocations for Charter Schools;
               and

          (B)  Any changes to the Department of Education's
               budget made by the Governor;

     (4)  Require the Auditor to develop a fund allocation
          methodology that can be applied to various alternative
          forms of public schools, including Charter Schools;

     (5)  Require establishment of financial and academic
          criteria for school accountability and student
          graduation requirements equivalent to state standards;
          and

     (6)  Appropriate funds for the establishment of additional
          Charter Schools.

     Upon further consideration, your Committee amended the
measure to:

     (1)  Remove the purpose and appropriation sections;

     (2)  Add a new section for chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised
          Statutes (HRS), to require the Board of Education to
          adopt guidelines to review charter schools attempting
          formation pursuant to sections 302A-1182 or 302A-1183,
          HRS;

     (3)  Amend the requirements of the local school board's
          implementation to:

          (A)  Require local school boards to include a
               comprehensive assessment and accountability system
               and a system of financial accountability, in their
               implementation plans; and

          (B)  Provide the board 60 days to review the completed
               implementation plan;

     (4)  Require that small schools with less than 120 students
          receive a subsidy or allotment, as determined by the
          DOE;

     (5)  Allow the Department of Education to provide a limited
          start-up and planning grant to each Charter School;


 
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     (6)  Require the Charter School self-evaluation process to
          include a profile of the school's enrollment and
          community;

     (7)  Require Charter School boards to conduct an independent
          evaluation of each school to assure compliance with
          statewide student content and performance standards;
          and

     (8)  Require this measure not to apply to existing charter
          schools.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your
Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your
Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose
of S.B. No. 2218, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and
recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto
as S.B. No. 2218, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, C.D. 1.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the managers:

  ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE           ON THE PART OF THE SENATE




_____________________________     _______________________________
Rep. KEN ITO                      Sen. DAVID Y. IGE
Co-Chair                          Co-Chair



_____________________________     _______________________________
Rep. EZRA R. KANOHO               Sen. NORMAN SAKAMOTO
Co-Chair                          Co-Chair



_____________________________     
Rep. TERRY NUI YOSHINAGA
Co-Chair



_____________________________
Rep. BERTHA C. KAWAKAMI
Co-Chair

 
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