Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 90 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to review the standards of achievement utilized by other jurisdictions to meet the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act.

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

Your Committee finds that ensuring that the Department of Education is utilizing all possible resources and methods to comply with the federal mandates of the No Child Left Behind Act is of high priority. Reviewing the standards of other jurisdictions would aid in assessing the department's accomplishments and shortcomings. As the department works to meet the federal requirements, any information regarding successful approaches and strategies from other states would be welcomed.

Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended this measure by removing language regarding the Legislative Reference Bureau and instead requesting the department to engage the services of an independent and objective entity for the study.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 90, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 90, S.D. 1.