STAND. COM. REP. NO.  370-12

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

RE:   H.B. No. 2527

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Education and Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred H.B. No. 2527 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to help improve the public education system in the State by requiring the Department of Education to, among other things:

     (1)  Include additional specified performance indicators in the annual statewide assessment program required under Act 51, Session Laws of Hawaii 2004;

     (2)  Include an evaluation of effectiveness for individual educators, including teachers and educational officers, in the accountability system required under Act 51, Session Laws of Hawaii 2004; and

     (3)  Establish annual performance ratings, using at least four performance levels, based on an evaluation of individual educator effectiveness.

The Governor, Department of Education, and three concerned individuals supported this measure.  Two concerned individuals supported the intent of this measure.  IMUAlliance and numerous concerned individuals opposed this measure.  The Hawaii State Teachers Association and several concerned individuals provided comments.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing the purpose language section and adding additional purpose language to reflect amendments made to the bill;

     (2)  Amending language that establishes an evaluation system for teachers and educational officers and its criteria for clarity and organization;

     (3)  Repealing the requirement of an evaluation of student safety and well-being, civic responsibility, and stakeholder satisfaction;

     (4)  Requiring that the two highest performance levels used to rate teachers and educational officers be "highly effective" and "effective";

     (5)  Establishing minimum requirements for teachers and principals to achieve an "effective" rating;

     (6)  Requiring that teachers and educational officers be rated "effective" or higher on their annual evaluation to receive certain specified incentives provided by local communities;

     (7)  Permitting incentives to be given to retain teachers and educational officers in schools designated as high need by the Department of Education;

     (8)  Permitting teachers rated "effective" or higher on their annual evaluation to receive certain specified incentives established by the Board of Education;

     (9)  Authorizing the Board of Education to develop incentives to reward teachers and educational officers who meet or exceed certain performance goals;

    (10) Requiring that all teachers entering the service of the Department of Education for the first time serve a probationary period of three years, with an extension to a total of five years, with specified conditions; and

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

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Labor & Public Employment that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2527, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2527, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Labor & Public Employment,

____________________________ KARL RHOADS, Chair

____________________________ ROY TAKUMI, Chair