STAND

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1503

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: H.B. No. 844

H.D. 1

S.D. 2

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 844, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to implement various strategies to promote teacher retention and recruitment.

Specifically, this measure:

(1) Establishes and provides funding for the Hawaii teacher cadet program fund as a separate fund of Hawaii Alliance for Future Teachers;

(2) Appropriates funds to Leeward Community College for additional teacher education faculty positions to establish the associate of arts in teaching program;

(3) Appropriates funds to the University of Hawaii College of Education for additional teacher education faculty positions;

(4) Establishes the educator loan forgiveness program to reduce the financial hardships faced by potential student teachers;

(5) Sets procedures for new hires with respect to job offers, pay, and orientation;

(6) Establishes and appropriates funds for the standardized statewide teacher induction program to mentor new teachers;

(7) Facilitates the licensing of teachers entering the system by expanding the means by which a license may be obtained, including licensure by means of professional experience, college degrees in relevant fields, and providing reciprocity for out-of-state licensure and national board certification;

(8) Provides incentives to encourage in-service teachers to seek national board certification;

(9) Directs the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board to review alternative licensing requirements, including replacing the PRAXIS examination requirement;

(10) Converts nine temporary positions at the Hawaii Teachers Standards Board to permanent full-time equivalent positions to facilitate the processing of teacher licenses;

(11) Supports ongoing professional development of in-service teachers and appropriates moneys therefor;

(12) Establishes tax and other financial incentives to recruit and retain teachers; and

(13) Establishes the master teachers training program to encourage teachers to increase the quality of their teaching skills and serve as a resource to other teachers.

Your Committee understands that Hawaii is experiencing a critical teacher shortage which necessitates that a comprehensive set of initiatives be taken to recruit teachers aggressively, enhance teacher education capacity, improve the professional development and working conditions of teachers, and provide incentives and support to persons pursuing a teaching career.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying qualifications for the public school teacher tax credit;

(2) Clarifying that criteria to identify "competent, skilled teachers" for the master teachers program shall be established through rulemaking; and

(3) Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 844, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 844, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

		____________________________ BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair