STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1395

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   H.C.R. No. 95

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Education and Higher Education, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 95 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO EVALUATE THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR TEACHING READING IN HAWAII SCHOOLS AND TO MOVE FORWARD WITH APPROPRIATE IMPLEMENTATION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to assist students with dyslexia and other reading difficulties by requesting the Board of Education and Department of Education to evaluate the Comprehensive Plan for Teaching Reading in Hawaii Schools, produced by the working group created pursuant to Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 110, Regular Session of 2010, and to move forward with appropriate implementation.

The Maui Police Department, Learning Disabilities Association of Hawaii, Hawaii Branch of the International Dyslexia Association, Hawaii Association of Independent Schools, and several concerned individuals supported this measure.  The Special Education Advisory Council supported the intent of this measure.  The Department of Education opposed this measure.  The Hawaii Teacher Standards Board and two concerned individuals provided comments.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Amending its title to read: "REQUESTING THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO INCORPORATE THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR TEACHING READING IN HAWAII SCHOOLS";

     (2)  Requesting the Board of Education and Department of Education to incorporate, rather than evaluate and implement, the Comprehensive Plan for Teaching Reading in Hawaii Schools;

     (3)  Deleting the specific items that the Board of Education and Department of Education were requested to evaluate in accordance with the Comprehensive Plan;

     (4)  Deleting the list of specific items that the Department of Education was requested to include in its report to the Legislature; and

     (5)  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 Higher Education that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 95, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 95, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Higher Education,

____________________________ ISAAC W. CHOY, Chair

____________________________ ROY M. TAKUMI, Chair