STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1482

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 24

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 2

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 24, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TEACHERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to provide an additional bonus to public school teachers who maintain current national board certification and who teach at certain schools.

     Your Committee received comments in support of the measure from the Department of Education.  The Hawaii State Teachers Association offered comments.

     Your Committee finds that to meet the standards set by state laws and the No Child Left Behind Act, it is necessary to recruit and retain highly qualified teachers for public schools.  Currently, completing the certification program of the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards entitles teachers to $1,500 and reimbursement of the remainder of the application fee.  In addition, maintenance of the certification entitles a teacher to a $5,000 bonus, annually.

     Your Committee believes that providing certain limited additional incentives will help recruit and retain highly qualified teachers at certain schools, including those that are in restructuring under the No Child Left Behind Act, are struggling to make annual yearly progress, or experience hard to fill vacancies.

     Your Committee has amended the bill by:

     (1)  Clarifying the nature of the additional bonus and those who may qualify for it; and

     (2)  Making technical nonsubstantive changes for clarity, style, and consistency.

     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 H.B. No. 24, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 24, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair