STAND. COM. REP. NO. 170

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 797

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Education and Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 797 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR ADVANCED PLACEMENT AND INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE COURSES AT PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS STATEWIDE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for advanced placement and International Baccalaureate courses in Hawaii public schools that currently limit or do not offer these courses.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by eleven students.  Copies of written testimony are available for review on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee has heard of the value of these programs from a number of students enrolled at high schools that currently offer advanced placement and International Baccalaureate courses.  These students stressed the academic advantages these programs offer, and several pointed out the economic benefits of taking college level courses while still in high school.  Your Committee is in strong support of the expansion of these programs that this measure would provide.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education and Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 797 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair