STAND. COM. REP. NO. 299

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1485

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

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

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to allow the Superintendent of Education to:

     (1)  Reconstitute a public school after certain considerations have been made, except for a charter school that has been in restructuring for four or more school years and has not made significant advancements toward improving academic performance; 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 and recommend that the charter school's charter be revoked.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education, Kamehameha Schools, and the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs; the Hawaii Government Employees Association, HGEA/AFSCME, Local 152, AFL-CIO; and the Hawaii State Teachers Association.

     Your Committee finds that this measure is necessary to allow the Superintendent to reconstitute low performing schools and to meet various reform assurances made in Hawaii's Race to the Top grant application.  This measure will also demonstrate the State's commitment to the transformative education reforms outlined in its Race to the Top grant application.

     In addressing some of the concerns raised by certain testifiers, your Committee further finds that the implementation of this measure will require the adoption of administrative rules pursuant to chapter 91, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and compliance with collective bargaining agreements.

     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 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,

____________________________

JILL TOKUDA, Chair