STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1135

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 501

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

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 Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 501, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Expand the national certification incentive program to provide monetary incentives to school psychologists; and

     (2)  Authorize continuing bonuses for school psychologists in certain designated schools that improve and no longer carry a certain designation.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Association of School Psychologists; Hawaii State Teachers Association; Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152; and four individuals.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Education.

     Your Committees find that highly qualified mental health providers play an important role in schools and help reduce and remove some of the most challenging barriers to student learning.  The rigorous training, supervision, and testing required of school psychologists to obtain national certification is comparable to national teacher certification.  Your Committees further find that Hawaii's public schools have a low retention rate for school psychologists, and many positions remain vacant for prolonged periods of time.  This measure will provide incentives for highly qualified school psychologists to work in Hawaii's public schools.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Allowing teachers to qualify for continuing bonuses when they are employed in certain designated schools that improve and no longer carry a certain designation;

     (2)  Clarifying the amount of reimbursement upon completion of the requirements for certification; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 501, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 501, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health,

________________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair

________________________________ MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair