STAND. COM. REP. NO.757-02
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2002
RE: S.B. No. 2102
S.D. 1
H.D. 1
Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twenty-First State Legislature
Regular Session of 2002
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2102, S.D. 1, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this bill is to propose amendments to the state constitution that reform the administrative structure of the public education system by:
(1) Establishing district boards of education composed of members elected at-large, to oversee educational policy for the high school through lower education school complexes within their respective educational districts; and
(2) Replacing the Board of Education with a Statewide Board of Education composed of the district board chairs and nonvoting armed forces and student members, to formulate statewide educational policy, appoint the Superintendent of Education (Superintendent), and ensure equitable funding for each educational district.
Testimony in support of this bill with some reservations was provided by a concerned citizen. The Hawaii Government Employees Association and the Department of Education testified in opposition to the measure. Comments were submitted by the Hawaii Business Roundtable, Office of Information Practices, and Department of Budget and Finance.
Your Committee agrees that a restructuring of Hawaii's public education system is necessary, and that there must be informed public debate of the matter to identify school and community needs and concerns, and develop a governance framework that responds to those needs. To encourage that discussion, your Committee has amended this measure by replacing its contents with the substance of H.B. No. 2033, H.D.3.
As amended, this bill proposes amendments to the state constitution that reform the administrative structure of the public education system by:
(1) Abolishing the Board of Education;
(2) Establishing a Superintendent Selection Commission appointed by the Governor, Senate President, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, to assemble a list of nominees for Superintendent from which the Governor shall select the Superintendent;
(3) Empowering the Superintendent to formulate statewide educational policy;
(4) Creating Local District School Boards of Education to implement the Superintendent's educational policy within their districts; and
(5) Providing that the internal organization of the public education system shall be as provided by law.
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. 2102, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2102, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,
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____________________________ KEN ITO, Chair |
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