STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3653

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.C.R. No. 180

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 180 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO ESTABLISH A TASK FORCE TO CREATE A PLAN TO ADDRESS OVERCROWDING IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN KAPOLEI, EWA, AND WAIPAHU,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Education to establish a task force to create a plan to address overcrowding in public schools in Kapolei, Ewa, and Waipahu.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Teachers Association and two individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education.

     Your Committee finds that overcrowding is a serious issue in many of Hawaii's schools.  When overcrowding occurs in schools, it adversely effects teaching conditions for teachers and learning conditions for students.  Research indicates that students in overcrowded conditions perform significantly lower on achievement tests than students in more comfortable classroom environments.  Your Committee further finds that increasingly overcrowded conditions in many public schools in the State require immediate correction, and your Committee notes that the Department of Education is currently developing a plan to address the issue through construction of new school and classroom facilities.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Removing the task force;

     (2)  Requesting the Department of Education to further develop and implement a plan to address overcrowding in public schools;

     (3)  Requesting the Department of Education to include input on the plan from the Hawaii State Teachers Association and the legislators from areas included in the plan;

     (4)  Adding Mililani and Pearl City as areas to be included in the plan;

     (5)  Changing its title to reflect its amended purpose; and

     (6)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 180, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 180, S.D. 1.

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

________________________________

MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair