STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2847

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 110

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Education and Housing, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 110 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A WORKING GROUP TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO IMPROVE AWARENESS OF AND STRENGTHEN SUPPORT FOR PERSONS WITH DYSLEXIA,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request the establishment of a working group to develop a comprehensive plan to improve awareness of and strengthen support for persons with dyslexia.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by one state agency, six private organizations, and six individuals.  Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by one state agency.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that this measure would equip educators with the skills and experience to help recognize learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, in their students and select appropriate teaching strategies that will enhance their students' learning.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Adding language to request a representative of the University of Hawaii to serve as a member of the working group;

     (2)  Clarifying that the working group is requested to develop a comprehensive plan to improve awareness of and strengthen support for persons with dyslexia, rather than both a comprehensive policy and a comprehensive plan;

     (3)  Changing the deadline for submission of the comprehensive plan to the Legislature to no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2012, to allow the working group more time to develop the plan; and

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for the purposes of clarity and style.

     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. 110, 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. 110, S.D. 1.

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

____________________________

NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair