STAND. COM. REP. NO.  368-12

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

RE:   H.B. No. 1986

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1986 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE IMMERSION PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to help preserve and perpetuate the Hawaiian language by requiring that specified assessments administered to students in grades three and four of the Department of Education's Hawaiian Language Immersion Program be developed originally in the Hawaiian language.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs; the local school board of Ke Kula ‘o Samuel M. Kamakau, K-12 Laboratory Public Charter School, Ka ‘Umeke Kā‘eo Hawaiian Immersion Public Charter School, Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, and many concerned individuals supported this bill.  The Department of Education provided comments.

     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 H.B. No. 1986 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

ROY TAKUMI, Chair