HR271

WHEREAS, the national ratio of computers with Internet access to student is nearly half the computers with internet access to student ratio recommended by the President's Committee of Advisors of Science and Technology; and

WHEREAS, while Hawaii has received nearly $14 million in federal funding aimed at improving school technology, the state still has one of the worst computers to student ratios in the nation; and

WHEREAS, with .21 computers per student, Hawaii is 43^rd among the 50 states in providing access to instructional computers; and

WHEREAS, the United States is expected to allow 50,000 foreign information technology workers into the country in 2006 because the domestic technology labor pool remains underdeveloped; and

WHEREAS, 73.7% of jobs currently require basic computer skills; and

WHEREAS, basic preparatory skills required for competency in future jobs are best learned at an early age; and

WHEREAS, a high computers with Internet access to student ratio can greatly enhance elementary, middle, and high school learning experiences through the use of online resources which may not be available in textbooks; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2008, that funds be appropriated to the Hawaii State public school system this year, designated specifically for the purchase of more computers with Internet access in order to bring the computers to student ratio closer to that recommended by the President's Committee of Advisors of Science and Technology; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor of the State of Hawaii, the Board of Education, the Superintendent of Education, and all secondary school principals.

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Internet access; appropriation requested

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	271
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008
STATE OF HAWAII