STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3178

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2164

H.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2164, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Education for school-level funding.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education, State Public Charter School Commission, Hawaii State Teachers Association, IMUAlliance, O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Maui Hotel and Lodging Association, and Hawai‘i Lodging and Tourism Association.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii's public schools are severely underfunded. At $12,855 per child, Hawaii trails mainland school districts of similar size when adjusting for cost of living. This lack of adequate funding has resulted in an inability to repair and renovate deteriorating facilities, higher class sizes, a lack of adequate classroom supplies, elimination of arts and career and technical education courses, budget cuts for special education and English language learner programs, and an increasing number of vacant teacher positions statewide. This measure will provide much needed funding for the State's public schools and bring Hawaii's education funding policy closer to other school districts of similar size.

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. 2164, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair