Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 1362 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to increase the base compensation of coaches within the Department of Education (DOE) to a level commensurate with the salaries of teachers under collective bargaining agreements. This measure also appropriates moneys to fund the increase.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Athletic Directors and Coaches Association. The Department of Education submitted testimony supporting an increase in coaches' compensation, but recommending that the issue be addressed in conjunction with all teacher salary differentials rather than in isolation.

Your Committee recognizes the important role coaches play in the development of our youth. Extracurricular activities, including team sports, are an important component in any child's education. Just as a child learns from a teacher during school, coaches continue to teach after the bell rings.

Your Committee finds that coaches working for the DOE are compensated at a rate much lower than the national average, and that it will be difficult for the DOE to retain qualified coaches without an immediate increase in compensation. Therefore, your Committee supports this measure, which would enable the DOE to recruit and retain qualified coaches.

Your Committee amended this measure to delete references to "stipend" and replace them with the term "allocation." Your Committee also amended this measure to allow coaches to elect to have their allocations dispensed directly to their schools to be used for the benefit of their teams, in lieu of personally receiving the allocation.

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 S.B. No. 1362, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1362, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.