STAND. COM. REP. NO. 526-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: H.B. No. 2117

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2117 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STANDARDIZED TESTING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to promote real-world learning experiences for Hawaii's children by:

(1) Limiting the number of standardized tests students in Department of Education (DOE) schools take each year; and

(2) Requiring the Board of Education to conduct a one-year survey of DOE school administrators and teachers to determine the amount of time spent on standardized testing preparation and the effect of preparation time on the quality of instruction.

The Hawaii State Teachers Association, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Parents for Public Schools of Hawai‘i, IMUAlliance, and several individuals testified in support of this measure. The DOE and Civil Education Council commented on this measure.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Amending its purpose section to reflect reference to only the federal Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015, which permits states to institute caps limiting the amount of time that students spend taking standardized tests;

(2) Requiring the DOE, rather than the Board of Education, to notify students and the parents or guardians of students about the right to opt out of participating in statewide standardized tests;

(3) Removing questions from the survey to be conducted by the Board of Education regarding the effect of standardized tests on the morale of students and teachers;

(4) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050; and

(5) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

Your Committee requests that the University of Hawaii and other post-secondary institutions be involved in the discussion regarding standardized testing in the education of students and on student learning and achievement.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2117, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2117, H.D. 1.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair