STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1547

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.C.R. No. 37

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 37 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN HAWAI‘I TO CONSIDER OFFERING OR CONTINUE OFFERING HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION AS AN OPTION OR AN ELECTIVE IN THEIR ACADEMIC CURRICULUM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to urge private schools in Hawaii to consider offering or continue offering Hawaiian-language instruction as an option or an elective in their academic curriculum, including by surveying interest in learning the Hawaiian language and requesting private schools to look for ways to incorporate Hawaiian language into their curriculum and instruction.

‘Aha Pūnana Leo, Hawaii Association of Independent Schools, Ka Lāhui Hawaii Political Action Committee, and numerous concerned individuals supported this measure.  The Department of Education and a concerned individual submitted comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by deleting the provision requesting the Department of Education to support the curriculum and instruction of the Hawaiian language in private schools in Hawaii that express interest in adding Hawaiian to their curriculum and instruction.

     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. 37, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 37, H.D. 1.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair