STAND. COM. REP. NO. 186

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1217

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Education and Economic Development and Technology, to which was referred S.B. No. 1217 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a pilot project that expands the e-school program offered by the Hawaii Virtual Learning Network and the Department of Education to high school students at Lanai High and Elementary School.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education and Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc.

     Your Committees find that expansion of online learning opportunities will assist smaller and geographically remote schools by providing access to online courses and requisite courses for graduation for which funding is or may become unavailable under the weighted student formula.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Economic Development and Technology that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1217 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Economic Development and Technology,

____________________________ CAROL FUKUNAGA, Chair

____________________________ JILL TOKUDA, Chair