Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Education and Military Affairs and Higher Education, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 121 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to form a working group on adult education.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the University of Hawaii and the Hawaii P-20 Initiative.

Your Committees find that an increasingly high rate of adults lack a high school diploma, and very few are transitioning into community colleges. This growing deficit in skilled workers is hindering the economy in innovating, growing, and competing in the global marketplace. In order to counteract this trend, more attention needs to be focused on adult education students and other adults with low basic skills. This measure will contribute to the efforts of increasing the number of skilled workers by convening a working group to assist in the expansion and improvement of options to help them complete secondary education programs.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Military Affairs and Higher Education that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 121 and recommend its adoption.