STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2760

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2789

       S.D. 2

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2789, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to support the State's efforts to hire and retain effective teachers.

Specifically, the measure restructures the Department of Education's teacher employment criteria by requiring:

(1)  That new teachers be employed for three years before they may qualify for tenure;

(2)  The Department of Education to hold educators accountable for facilitating student learning and growth;

(3)  The Department of Education to provide selected data to the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board; and

(4)  The Department of Education to submit reports to the Legislature on the status, effectiveness, actions taken, and legislative policies required for the performance management system.

Written comments in opposition to this measure were submitted by Hawaii State Teachers Association and IMUA Alliance.

Your Committee finds that effective teachers are the most important school-based factor for student achievement.  Investing in educators will have significant impact on educational outcomes, including helping children achieve their full potential.  Implementing evaluations to measure the effectiveness of teachers will also assist the Department of Education in identifying and promoting highly effective educators.  Finally, your Committee finds that the provisions of this measure will demonstrate Hawaii's commitment to meeting its educational goals under the federal Race to the Top Program.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

     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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2789, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2789, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair