STAND. COM. REP. NO. 897

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1136

       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 S.B. No. 1136, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to ensure adequate funding for public school students and to increase the efficiency of operations within school complex areas.

     Specifically, this measure:

     (1)  Appropriates funds for certain students in addition to weighted student formula allocations, including students in junior kindergarten classes with fifteen or fewer students, students in geographically isolated schools, students in multitrack schools, transient students, students in small schools, and non-English proficient students;

     (2)  Authorizes complex area superintendents to allocate resources for complex level educational officers, teachers, and support staff; and

     (3)  Appropriates funds for complex area superintendents to allocate resources among the schools within each complex area at a rate of $30 per student.

     Written comments in opposition of this measure were submitted by the Department of Education.

     Your Committee finds that the weighted student formula was established pursuant to Act 51, Session Laws of Hawaii 2004, as amended, to provide equity in funding for public school students through the use of weighted cost factors.  Although not yet fully implemented, partial implementation of the weighted student formula has raised concerns with funding deficiencies, particularly with respect to students displaying certain characteristics.  While these characteristics are currently addressed within the weighted student formula calculations, schools with students presenting those characteristics require additional funding to ensure the provision of a quality education to all students.

     Additionally, the management of individual schools has been greatly benefited through the establishment of complex area superintendents.  Your Committee finds that their authority should be clarified to allow for the provision of specified support services to assist schools in carrying out their intended objectives.

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting the specific amounts appropriated for and clarifying that the appropriations made to the Department of Education for the augmentation of funds provided under the weighted student formula are for the following students:

          (A)  Students in geographically isolated schools;

          (B)  Students in multitrack schools;

          (C)  Transient students;

          (D)  Students in small schools; and

          (E)  Non-English proficient students;

     (2)  Deleting the new section that specified the powers and duties of the complex area superintendents;

     (3)  Reinstating the language that requires complex area superintendents to supervise the delivery of administrative and instructional support services in the complex areas;

     (4)  Specifying that complex area superintendents are required to provide support to school administrators, school community councils, staff, and teachers;

     (5)  Including an unspecified appropriation to the Department of Education for complex area superintendents to provide support to school administrators, school community councils, staff, and teachers; and

     (6)  Including a separate appropriation for junior kindergarten classes with fifteen or fewer students; provided that underachieving schools and schools with a high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced price lunches shall be given priority.

     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. 1136, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1136, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair