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. 2929 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to hire educational assistants to support special education teachers to attain the ratio of one educational assistant for every special education teacher.

Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Hawaii State Teachers Association and two individuals. The Department of Education submitted testimony opposing this measure.

Your Committee finds that special education teachers in Hawaii's public schools are under tremendous pressure, particularly from the federal court, to provide services to Hawaii's exceptional children in a timely and effective manner. The workload per teacher is enormous considering the reporting and recording requirements, in addition to preparing lesson plans, correcting exams and assignments, and all other activities necessary to conduct a class.

Educational assistants dedicated to serving the needs of special education students provide the necessary support to special education teachers and allow them to focus on the core teaching activities. For example, the new information management system, ISPED, requires substantial data entry and properly trained educational assistants could assist special education teachers with this administrative task. Although mandated by the Felix consent decree, special education teachers continue to operate without adequate support due to sharing, misappropriation, or non-existence of educational assistants. This measure appropriates the necessary funds to attain the ratio of one educational assistant for every special education teacher to assist in serving the needs of special education students.

Your Committee has amended this measure by clarifying that educational assistants shall be utilized exclusively to support special education students.

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. 2929, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2929, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.