STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2091

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2667

       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. 2667 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to school complex areas for leadership training and induction mentoring.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of Education, the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools, and seven individuals.

     Your Committee finds that, due to the teacher shortage problem in the State, it is of great importance to support initiatives and programs that support teacher recruitment, retention, and professional development.  Funding for these areas is currently lacking, particularly in the era of weighted student formula allocations.  Your Committee further finds that the division of school complex areas provides a unique opportunity for complex area administrators to allocate funds within the complex areas to specifically suit the needs of their schools and staff.  This measure provides funding to the complex areas for teacher induction and leadership training to support teacher recruitment and retention in the State. 

     Your Committee also held a hearing on a related matter, Senate Bill No. 2683, which provided funding to complex areas for academic coaches, professional development, and the retention of teachers.  Your Committee believes that this measure provides the proper vehicle for the appropriation of funds to complex areas to provide comprehensive teacher recruitment, retention, and professional development support.

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by requiring that funds appropriated shall be allocated by the complex areas for academic coaches, professional development, and the retention of teachers, as well as teacher induction mentoring and leadership training.

     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. 2667, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2667, 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