Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Education and Military Affairs and Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 2887 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to direct the Hawaii Teachers Standards Board to create alternative criteria and other measures of qualification to allow higher numbers of prospective vocational education and career pathway teachers to teach in the classroom.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations Workforce Development Council, King Kekaulike High School, Lahainaluna High School, Maui High School, the Hawaii State Teachers Association, and three individuals. Testimony in support of the intent of this measure were received from the Department of Education and the University of Hawaii. Comments in opposition to this measure were received from the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board.

Your Committees find that there is a teacher shortage in vocational, technical, and career pathway program areas. These highly successful programs are in need of a greater number of teachers to support students, and introduce them to careers in growing industries in Hawaii.

Your Committees have amended this measure by omitting the mention of specific trade or industry experience which could serve as alternative qualifying criteria for teachers, and allowing the Department of Education to be responsible for the review and acceptance of alternative qualifying criteria and to waive the requirement of a bachelor's degree to teach in these program areas.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Military Affairs and Labor that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2887, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2887, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.