STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1487

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1276

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1276, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Beginning with school year 2019-2020, require the Department of Education to establish and implement a four-year pilot program within one complex area to address teacher preparation, classroom operations, and the rotation of principals amongst various school levels within the complex area;

(2) Authorize best practices for the pilot program; and

(3) Appropriate funds for the pilot program.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education, Hawaii State Teachers Association, and Democratic Party of Hawai‘i Education Caucus.

Your Committee finds that improving Hawaii's schools begins by setting a goal and having a vision. Some initiatives, such as the Massachusetts Expanded Learning Time, have improved academic outcomes for schools by providing increased opportunities for teachers to have time for collaborative planning and professional development. This measure provides educational stakeholders the opportunity to come together to explore the best practices for a collaborative planning and expanded learning time initiative in the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Establishing a working group to consider and develop best practices for collaborative planning and expanded learning time in public schools, rather than requiring the Department of Education to establish a pilot program;

(2) Specifying that the administrative responsibilities of the working group shall be under the Department of Education;

(3) Deleting language that would have appropriated funds to establish and implement a pilot program within one Department of Education complex area; and

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

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 H.B. No. 1276, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1276, 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 Committee on Education,

________________________________

MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair