STAND. COM. REP. NO.1491
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2003
RE: S.R. No. 32
S.D. 1
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.R. No. 32 entitled:
"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO ADOPT A SCHOOL FACILITY USE POLICY THAT ESTABLISHES PRIORITY USES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure, as received by your Committee, is to request the Board of Education to adopt a school facility use policy that establishes priority uses for the benefit of the surrounding community.
Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by the Department of Education.
Your Committee finds that there have been many proposals under consideration during the 2003 legislative session to address the myriad needs in our public schools, which span restructuring the entire public school system to providing resources to meet individual school's needs. Your Committee further finds that while there has been increasing public dialogue and input, there is still no clear consensus of public opinion nor amongst our elected officials regarding the best solution to address certain systemic education reforms. Your Committee further believes that systemic education reforms must not only be well-thought out with sufficient detail, but must be embraced by a majority of the stakeholders in order to be successfully implemented.
Thus, your Committee has amended this measure by deleting its substance and inserting therefor provisions requesting the convening of a 2003 interim joint legislative study group comprising legislators appointed by the legislative leadership to:
(1) Continue the dialogue about education reform issues that were not resolved during the 2003 Regular Session;
(2) Specifically review the ideas and recommendations from the 2002 Interim Focus Groups that were not adopted during the 2003 Regular Session, in addition to such issues as determining the adequacy of state funding levels using per pupil formulas, the feasibility of gathering longitudinal data on student achievement, and the need for a state council on education data and accountability to provide independent analysis on education policy issues;
(3) Solicit and receive public input about the proposals from the four focus groups convened during the 2002 interim; and
(4) Present findings and recommendations in a report to the legislature to be posted on the legislature's website prior to the convening of the 2004 Regular Session.
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.R. No. 32, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 32, S.D. 1.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,
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____________________________ NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair |
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