Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2099 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish an interagency working group within the University of Hawaii to develop a comprehensive, linked preschool to graduate school (P-20) student database.

Your Committee received testimony in support of the measure's intent from the University of Hawaii, Department of Education, Good Beginnings Alliance, and Hawaii Kids Watch. The Office of Information Practices submitted comments on the measure.

Your Committee finds that although the State's three systems of education – preschool, K-12, and higher education – are interdependent and share common goals, there are no formal mechanisms to establish linkages between them. Each system has its own set of standards, assessments, curricula, and expected outcomes, which results in a lack of cohesion between the systems.

This measure proposes to establish an interagency working group that would develop a comprehensive student database covering preschool through graduate school. Your Committee finds that the creation of a database would promote the development of a seamless system of education and facilitate higher quality lifelong learning experiences for Hawaii's students.

Your Committee has amended the measure by adding a provision stipulating that the interagency working group shall determine and provide options and alternatives to insure that privacy and confidentiality issues and concerns are addressed with appropriate recommendations.

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. 2099, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2099, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.