Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 62 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Education to conduct a survey that compiles important information from each charter school in the State in order to properly determine its function, location, enrollment, staff size, student size, operating and maintenance costs, physical condition, current status, and projected future needs.

Testimony in support of the measure was received from the Department of Education.

Your Committee finds that this measure is designed to assist the Legislature in determining the proper amount of resources that each individual charter school requires in order to properly educate Hawaii's children. This measure requests a survey of all charter schools in Hawaii, focusing on expected changes in enrollment, annual operating costs, facilities needs of charter schools, and the physical condition of these schools. This information will enable the Legislature to undertake proper planning in meeting the future needs of each charter school.

Your Committee has amended this measure by designating the Charter School Administrative Office, in place of the Department of Education, as the state agency responsible for conducting this survey and gathering this vital information. Current charter school law authorizes the Executive Director of the Charter School Administrative Office to collect this information as part of the statutorily prescribed duties of this office.

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. 62, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 62, S.D. 1.