Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 3195 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a weighted student formula conversion program to provide supplementary funds for schools that are adversely affected by the weighted student formula adopted in 2004.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Teachers Association, the Wailupe Valley Elementary School Ohana Board, and four individuals. Comments in support of the intent of this measure were received from the Department of Education and the Hawaii Government Employees Association.

Your Committee finds that the weighted student formula does not address adequacy in school funding, and that alternate funding mechanisms should address school funding shortages.

Your Committee has amended this measure by including an appropriation amount, making a additional appropriation amount specifically to support schools adversely affected by the weighted student formula, removing a section pertaining to department matching funds, and making technical, nonsubstantive amendments.

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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3195, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3195, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.