CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 138-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: S.B. No. 2384

H.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 2384, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Allow the Department of Education to develop a comprehensive plan to integrate design thinking and coding in middle, intermediate, and high school curriculums; and

(2) Require that any such plan developed by the Department of Education, including any proposed legislation, be submitted to the Legislature prior to the 2019 Regular Session.

Your Committee on Conference finds that many of Hawaii's public schools have already implemented courses in science, technology, engineering, and math, also known as the STEM fields, in their curriculum. However, many curriculums are designed to solely focus on outcome-based results and potential economic impact, which may compromise innovation and creativity when applied to the STEM fields. Design thinking is an approach to learning, collaboration, and problem solving that is structured for identifying challenges, gathering information, generating potential solutions, refining ideas, and testing solutions. Including design thinking in curriculums can improve and enhance the curriculum and assist students in creatively solving problems.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2018.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2384, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2384, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ JUSTIN H. WOODSON Co-Chair	____________________________ MICHELLE N. KIDANI Chair
____________________________ TY J.K. CULLEN Co-Chair	____________________________ MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO Co-Chair