STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2111

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2235

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2235 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO PROVIDE FOR EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to provide one educational assistant for every public school class in grades kindergarten through three.

     Testimony in support of the measure was submitted by the Hawaii State Teachers Association and one individual.  Comments on the measure were submitted by the Department of Education.

     Your Committee finds that educational assistants play a vital role in the education and development of our public schools students.  Assistance is most necessary at the early education level, as research indicates that early childhood education is instrumental in lifelong success.  The State must do more to promote, enhance, and support programs and initiatives that address the needs of our young children.  This measure appropriates funds for educational assistants in every public school classroom in grades kindergarten to three.  Your Committee understands that the potential cost for this endeavor may be excessive, although true costs are currently unclear, particularly in light of anticipated estimations for the institution of a career ladder program for educational assistants.  Therefore, your Committee believes that a more conservative initiative may be more appropriate at this time.

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by limiting its scope to appropriate funds for an educational assistant in each public school junior kindergarten classroom only.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2235, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2235, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair