STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1678

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.C.R. No. 296

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 296 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO ESTABLISH AT LEAST ONE CIVIC STANDARD AT EVERY GRADE LEVEL FROM K-12 THAT INTEGRATES SERVICE LEARNING AND EXPECTS STUDENTS TO ENGAGE, PARTICIPATE, AND BECOME ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THEIR COMMUNITIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to request that the Department of Education (DOE) establish at least one civic standard at every grade level from K-12 that integrates service learning and expects students to engage, participate, and become actively involved in their communities.

     Kids Voting Hawaii and the Hawaii Global Youth Center testified in support of this measure. The Department of Education supports the intent of the Resolution.

     As noted in the Board of Education testimony, "the Hawaii Content and Performance Standards (HCPS) III will be in effect until SY 2008-09" and revisions to the HCPS III document will be effective session year 2009-10.  The impending revisions offer the opportunity to amend the language of the existing standards, specifically in political science/civics, to reflect recognition of the civic missions of schools and value of community-based education by integrating service learning pedagogy currently through grades K-12.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) requesting the Board of Education, instead of the Department of Education, to establish the civic standards, and

(2) amending the title to read:

     "REQUESTING THE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO ESTABLISH AT LEAST ONE CIVIC STANDARD AT EVERY GRADE LEVEL FROM K-12 THAT INTEGRATES SERVICE LEARNING AND EXPECTS STUDENTS TO ENGAGE, PARTICIPATE, AND BECOME ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THEIR COMMUNITIES,"

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 296, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 296, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,

____________________________

ROY TAKUMI, Chair