STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3169

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 72

       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.C.R. No. 72 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION CONDUCT A FEASIBILITY STUDY TO EXAMINE VARIOUS IMPACTS OF A LONGER SCHOOL DAY ON KINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE TWELVE STUDENTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Education to conduct a feasibility study on the impacts of a longer school day for students, grades kindergarten through twelve.

     Testimony in opposition of this measure was submitted by the Department of Education.

     Your Committee finds that, across the country, states are moving toward lengthening school days at struggling schools, as a result of poor test results and the failure to meet standards under the No Child Left Behind Act.  The increased time spent at school during a school day, among other things, offers students who might not otherwise attend voluntary after-school programs to spend additional time on their studies.  Additionally, the extra time can bolster not only instruction in core subjects, such as math, English, and science, but also allow time for study in elective courses that enhance and support the learning experience, including art, music, and drama.  This measure requests the Department of Education to conduct a feasibility study on the advantages and disadvantages of extending the current school day for students in grades kindergarten through twelve.  Your Committee believes the study is necessary to properly explore not only the potential benefits, but also the additional costs and other consequences of making such a change.

     Additionally, your Committee finds that, on average, American students attend school approximately one hundred and eighty-three days per year, with Hawaii students participating in approximately one hundred and eighty days of instruction per year.  However, in many other academically successful countries, the average days of instruction per year total approximately one hundred and ninety days to in excess of two hundred and forty days, such as in the United Kingdom, Japan, and Germany.  As a result, it is unreasonable and unfair to expect students in Hawaii, or throughout the nation, to perform at the same level as their peers in these other countries where the students have spent what may ultimately be the equivalent of additional years in school by the time of high school graduation.  Your Committee determines that examination of increasing the number of days of instruction in the current school year is also necessary to further explore methods for improving students' academic achievement and overall performance on standardized tests, particularly in schools where test scores are lower than the national or state averages.

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure and its title by including a request that the Department of Education also examine the benefits and detriments involved in increasing the number of days of instruction in the current school year.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 72, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 72, S.D. 1.

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

____________________________

NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair