STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2379

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 2837
                                        S.D. 1




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

Sir:

     Your Committees on Education and Technology and Labor and
Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 2837 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to include student and
professional accountability in the existing law on educational
accountability.

     In addition, the measure requires development of
consequences for observed performance and annual data on student,
school, and system performance.  Teachers and administrators are
required to seek continuous professional growth and development,
which shall be subject to evaluation and appropriate
consequences.

     Testimony in support of the measure was received from the
Department of Education, Hawaii Association of Realtors, The
Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, Hawaii Business Roundtable, and
four individuals.  Testimony in opposition to the measure was
received from HSTA and HGEA-AFSCME.

     Your Committees find that although there are many
principals, teachers, administrators, and staff persons in the
public schools who are doing a good job, the public school system
itself needs improvement.


 
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     Your Committees agree that an effective accountability
system independent of the current collective bargaining
requirements of chapter 89, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and clearly
linked to authority is essential to improving Hawaii's public
schools.

     The measure was amended by:

     (1)  Adding requirements to section 1 that the Department of
          Education, as part of its accountability system,
          develop a collaborative process with all stakeholders
          involved in the public school system and specifically
          allow student input into the quality of their
          education;

     (2)  Requiring annual statewide student assessment in core
          subject areas at each grade level;

     (3)  Maintaining the requirement that comprehensive school
          profiles or reports be made available, including to the
          public; and

     (4)  Adding a three-year limit to the suspension of the
          requirements under chapter 89, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your
Committees on Education and Technology and Labor and Environment
that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord
with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2837, as amended herein,
and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached
hereto as S.B. No. 2837, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee
on Ways and Means.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committees on Education and
                                   Technology and Labor and
                                   Environment,



_____________________________      ______________________________
BOB NAKATA, Chair                  DAVID Y. IGE, Chair

 
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