STAND. COM. REP. NO.  90-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2018

RE:   H.B. No. 2607

      H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Education and Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2607 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to promote computer science education in the State by requiring:

     (1)  The Department of Education (DOE) to develop and implement a statewide computer science curricula plan for public school students in kindergarten through grade 12;

     (2)  DOE to permit public high school students to fulfill math and science graduation requirements through satisfactory completion of computer science coursework; and

     (3)  The University of Hawaii to permit applicants to fulfill certain admission requirements by demonstrating satisfactory completion of high school computer science coursework.

Dev League LLC, Hawaii Open Data, HawaiiKidsCAN, Purple Mai‘a Foundation, Code.org, Women in Technology, AlgorithmHub Inc., and several individuals testified in support of this measure.  The University of Hawaii System, DOE, and two individuals commented on this measure.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Removing provisions legislating how the computer science curricula is to be implemented by the DOE;

     (2)  Deleting language permitting DOE students to apply computer science credits to math and science graduation requirements and requiring the University of Hawaii to recognize these credits for purposes of admissions criteria;

     (3)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2025, to facilitate further discussion; and

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

     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 H.B. No. 2607, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2607, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Economic Development & Business.

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

____________________________ ANGUS L.K. McKELVEY, Chair

____________________________ JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair