Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 149 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Legislative Reference Bureau to identify effective state practices for raising academic achievement among low-scoring students and increasing the percentage of students reaching proficiency on the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

The Department of Education submitted testimony in support of this measure. The Legislative Reference Bureau and the Hawaii State Teachers Association submitted comments on the measure.

Your Committee finds that certain requirements for state education were imposed by the federal government via the "No Child Left Behind Act of 2001." The Act requires the Department of Education to ensure that all students either meet or exceed a proficient level of academic achievement on required state assessments by the completion of the 2013-2014 school year. Your Committee also finds that adequate yearly progress is essential for certain subgroups of students, including those economically disadvantaged, those with disabilities, and those with limited English proficiency. Failure to make adequate progress will result in various consequences depending upon the degree of inadequate progress.

Therefore, your Committee believes it is necessary that effective state educational practices for raising academic achievement be identified. Recommendations from the study requested by this measure will help to further refine and improve current practices so that the number of students meeting or exceeding a proficient level of academic achievement will continue to increase.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 149 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.