STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1458

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1530

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. 1530, 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 establish and appropriate funds for the teacher mentor incentive program within the Department of Education.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawai‘i System, Hawaii State Teachers Association, HawaiiKidsCAN, and ten individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education.

Your Committee finds that it is critical for new teachers to receive mentoring and guidance as they enter the profession. The current teacher mentoring program within the Department of Education lacks adequate, ongoing compensation for classroom mentors who contribute additional time, duties, and expertise to support pre-service and school-level mentees. This situation results in stressed relationships with mentees and a lack of willingness to voluntarily engage in mentoring since mentors must dedicate a significant amount of their time during the school year. This measure provides a monetary bonus for mentors to increase satisfaction for mentors and mentees, encourage mentors to commit to investing in their mentees, and attract and retain teacher mentors to participate in the teacher mentoring program.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Specifying that the amount of the incentive offered as part of the teacher mentor incentive program shall be subject to collective bargaining, rather than $1,500; and

(2) 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. 1530, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1530, 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