Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 3102, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to reduce the student-teacher ratio in public schools and provide additional teachers and staff in specialty areas.

Specifically, the bill requires a reduction in the ratio of students to teachers in grades one to five; grades six to eight; and grades nine to twelve. The Department of Education is directed to support class size reduction by providing additional staff in specialty areas where necessary or appropriate. Finally, the bill appropriates $27,202,000 to phase in class size reduction beginning in school year 2006-2007, including hiring teachers and staff to implement the bill.

Your Committee finds that this bill is intended to provide additional staff for art, music, physical education, gifted and talented, technology, and other specialty areas. In addition, the hiring of more teachers, tutors, counselors, librarians, resource teachers, and other staff as necessary is mandated. The additional teachers and support staff mandated by the bill will permit smaller classes where the needs of each child may be more carefully monitored and the work environments of teachers and staff will be improved.

Your Committee has amended the bill by:

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 S.B. No. 3102, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3102, S.D. 2.