STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2500

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2779

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Education, Hawaiian Affairs, and Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2779 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII TEACHER STANDARDS BOARD,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Increase membership on the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board to include the chairperson of the Native Hawaiian Education Council and a non-voting public university student teacher; and

(2) Clarify that a permit is required for non-licensed teachers serving in public schools.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education; Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Hawaii Teacher Standards Board; Native Hawaiian Education Council; Ho‘omanapono Political Action Committee; Ho‘omana Pono, LLC; Hawaiian Civic Club of Honolulu; Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i; and several individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the University of Hawai‘i System.

Your Committees find that the addition of a representative from the Native Hawaiian Education Council to the Hawaii Teachers Standards Board will provide insight to teacher preparation and licensure policies that will support Hawaiian education programs incorporating the study of Hawaiian culture, history, and language. Additionally, the inclusion of a non-voting teacher candidate member to the Hawaii Teachers Standards Board will provide feedback from emerging teachers to improve preparation program policies and procedures.

Your Committees further find that clarifying the existing requirements that public school teachers must have to be eligible to serve as a public school teacher ensures that children are receiving quality education by trained and certified professionals.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Removing the requirement to allow for a permit to be renewed every ten years;

(2) Clarifying that the restoration of a license or permit shall require compliance with the renewal requirements provided by law or administrative rule and payment of all applicable renewal and late fees; 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, Hawaiian Affairs, and Higher Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2779, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2779, 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, Hawaiian Affairs, and Higher Education,

________________________________ MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO, Chair	________________________________ MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair
	________________________________ KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair