STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1285

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 130

       S.D. 1

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 130, S.D. 1, entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO CONSIDER USING THE PROPERTY LOCATED ON YOUNG STREET, ADJACENT TO THE ACADEMY ART CENTER, AS AN ART RESOURCE CENTER FOR TEACHERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Education to establish a working group to explore the feasibility of relocating the Department's Office of School Facilities and Support Services from the property located on Young Street, adjacent to the Honolulu Academy of Arts' Academy Art Center, and repurposing the space as an art resource center for teachers.

     Your Committee received comments in support of this measure from Duane Preble, Art Professor Emeritus, University of Hawaii at Manoa.

     Your Committee finds that the Department of Education needs to consider and reevaluate its methods for teaching fine arts in order to meet national standards.  The Department of Education does not have a central facility offering teachers professional training and development in the arts.

     The Department would, however, have adequate space to provide professional training and development were it to convert the property located on Young Street, adjacent to the Academy Art Center, which is currently being used by the Department's Office of School Facilities and Support Services.  This action would permit the Department of Education to establish a dedicated training and learning center that would benefit from the expertise of the neighboring Honolulu Academy of Arts, thus greatly enhancing the Department's ability to develop and train its fine art teachers.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 130, S.D. 1, and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair