STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1664

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.R. No. 98

      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.R. No. 98 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO IMPROVE ITS DELIVERY OF SERVICES TO SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES BY RECONSIDERING THE RATES PAID TO INTENSIVE INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES CONSULTANTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to request that the Department of Education improve its delivery of services to special needs children and their families by reconsidering the rates paid to intensive instructional services consultants.

     Testimony in support of the resolution was offered by Hawaii Centers for Independent Living; Member, District 6, Hawaii County Council; State Coordinator, Family Voices of Hawaii; Vice Principal at Honokaa High and Intermediate; Koolauloa Children's Community Council.  The Department of Education opposed this resolution.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) amending the request for the Department of Education to report its findings and recommendations to the Legislature and to members of the general public prior to July 1, 2007, to report its findings regarding the consequences of changing rates on special needs students and their families to the legislature not less than twenty days before the beginning of the legislative 2008 session; and

(2) deleting the request for the Department of Education to review the discrepancies between the current rates paid to intensive instructional services consultants and the proposed rates that are scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2007; and

(3) amending the request for the Department of Education to designate the area of Honoka'a on the island of Hawaii as "rural" to request the Department of Education to convene with the Department of Health to determine how the area of Honoka'a on the island of Hawaii and similar areas in the state can be designated as "rural"; and

(4) deleting the request that the Department of Education engage behaviorial health specialists, as well as parents of children in need of intensive instructional services consultants, in discussions using professional and unbiased facilitators to promote a positive exchange of information

     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.R. No. 98, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.R. No. 98, H.D. 1.

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

____________________________

ROY TAKUMI, Chair