STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1028

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

RE:   S.B. No. 1485

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 1485, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO RECONSTITUTING SCHOOLS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to help improve the quality of education in Hawaii by authorizing the Superintendent of Education to:

     (1)  Reconstitute public schools, except for charter schools, after specified considerations have been made, that are in restructuring for four or more school years; and

     (2)  Recommend to the Charter School Review Panel actions that should be taken to reconstitute a charter school that has been in restructuring for four or more school years, including the revocation of a school's charter.

     The Department of Education, Kamehameha Schools, and Hawaii Association of Independent Schools supported this bill.  The Hawaii State Teachers Association, Hawaii Government Employees Association, Imua Alliance, and a concerned individual opposed this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Clarifying that charter schools are excepted from the Superintendent's authorization to reconstitute a public school; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     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. 1485, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1485, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

ROY TAKUMI, Chair