STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1096

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 34

       S.D. 1

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.C.R. No. 34 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO CONDUCT A FEASIBILITY STUDY TO EXAMINE THE IMPACTS OF A LONGER SCHOOL DAY FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Education to conduct a feasibility study to examine the fiscal, curriculum, and other impacts of a longer school day for elementary school students, and report the findings and recommendations to the 2010 Legislature.

     Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by one state agency.  One private organization submitted comments.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee has heard that extending the elementary school day would have far reaching implications, and that all aspects would warrant consideration in a feasibility study.  An extended school day would affect transportation and food service schedules, contracts with a multitude of vendors providing direct services to the schools, as well as collective bargaining agreements.  In addition, any extension would affect the entire system as many of the services provided to schools are coordinated across different levels.

Your Committee understands, for example, that reducing the number of school days per year for elementary schools in isolation would still require the Department of Education to operate facilities and support services for the middle and high schools that would remain in session.  The high school students who are often caregivers to their younger siblings would not be available to provide that service.  In addition, multi-level schools would be forced to remain open to accommodate the middle and high school schedules, thus reducing the efficiency of their daily operations.

     Your Committee agrees that these concerns have merit.  However, your Committee believes that, given the immediate and longer-term economic constraints facing the State, educational alternatives should be considered.

     Your Committee has amended this measure to focus the study on a four-day week for all students, by:

     (1)  Amending the title to read:  REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO CONDUCT A FEASIBILITY STUDY TO EXAMINE THE FISCAL, CURRICULUM, AND OTHER IMPACTS OF A FOUR-DAY SCHOOL WEEK FOR SCHOOL COMPLEXES; and

     (2)  Amending the body of the Concurrent Resolution to reflect this change in focus.

     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 concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 34, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 34, S.D. 1.

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

____________________________

NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair