STAND. COM. REP. NO. 279

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 298

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Education and Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 298 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SCHOOLS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Establish a workforce readiness program within the Department of Education to allow students to graduate from an extended high school enrollment with a high school diploma and an industry-recognized associate's degree; and

     (2)  Appropriate monies to develop and implement the program and hire full-time employees.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawaii System and one individual.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Education

     Your Committees find that workforce development is an important issue in the State.  Only fifty-six percent of Hawaii's public school graduates continued on to post-secondary education in 2015.  Your Committees further find that collaboration between educators and local industry employers would help students enter the workforce with skills and credentials that are valuable to employers in their community.

     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 are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 298 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________ KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair

________________________________ MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair