STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2280

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3070

S.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 S.B. No. 3070 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish and appropriate funds for a Hawaii teacher stipend program to be administered by the Department of Education to address the shortage of teachers in the Hawaii public school system.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education, University of Hawai‘i System, Hawaii State Teachers Association, Hawaii Teacher Standards Board, HE‘E Coalition, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities for the Democratic Party of Hawaii, and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii has been experiencing teacher shortages over the last several years, and that it is particularly difficult to fill vacancies for teachers in select fields in education in the State. Additionally, the number of in-state graduates from state approved teacher certification programs has fallen, which has resulted in an overreliance on out-of-state hires. To help fill these critical positions in the Hawaii public school system with in-state teachers, a teacher stipend should be created to encourage qualified students to pursue teaching degrees. Your Committee further finds that in order for a teacher stipend program to have a positive impact on students pursuing teaching degrees, it is essential that the Department of Education and University of Hawaii College of Education collaborate on the implementation and execution of the program.

Your Committee has amended this measure by clarifying that a stipend recipient under the Hawaii teacher stipend program shall be required to teach in the Hawaii public school system for five consecutive years immediately following completion of a state approved teacher education program, subject to repayment of stipend funds.

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 S.B. No. 3070, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3070, S.D. 1, 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