STAND. COM. REP. NO. 901

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1143

       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. 1143, 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 implement educational reforms to benefit both public school students and teachers.

More specially, this measure:

     (1)  Clarifies the method of electing teachers and certain elementary and middle school student representatives to school community councils;

     (2)  Amends Act 51, Session Laws of Hawaii, the Reinventing Education Act, to clarify that the reduction of class size in kindergarten through grade two is necessary;

     (3)  Appropriates funds to the Department of Education for the reduction of kindergarten and junior kindergarten class size; and

     (4)  Appropriates funds to the Department of Education to establish new teacher advisor/peer assistance mentors at a target ratio of fifteen new teachers to one new advisor or mentor.

     The Department of Education submitted comments in support of this measure.  The Department of Budget and Finance submitted comments in opposition to this measure.

     Your Committee finds that students receive more teacher attention and thus generally perform and learn better in smaller sized classes, particularly students in kindergarten through grade two.  Similarly, new teachers benefit from the advice and assistance of teacher advisors and mentor, often resulting in improved teacher retention.  Your Committee believes this measure will improve the learning environment for students and teacher, as well as provide needed clarification on the manner in which teachers and certain student representatives are selected for representation on school community councils.  

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Changing the student-teacher and teacher-advisor ratios in section 3 and 4, respectively, to unspecified ratios to facilitate further discussion on this measure; and

(2)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity and style.

     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. 1143, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1143, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair