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. 505 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize tuition waivers for special education and education administration majors at the University of Hawaii.

Your Committee heard testimony in support of the measure from the University of Hawaii and the Department of Education.

Your Committee finds that tuition waivers would encourage students to pursue special education licensure and school administrator certification. Such waivers would support administrator candidates in the Department of Education's Certification Program for School Leaders who are in-service teachers desiring to pursue a career in administration, as well as provide a recruitment incentive to others.

Your Committee has amended the measure by restricting the tuition waiver to those who choose to work in public schools. Additional language was also added in the purpose section clarifying the pressing need for special education and education administration personnel, especially in light of the Felix Consent Decree.

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. 505, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 505, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.