STAND. COM. REP. NO. 739

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 373

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 Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 373 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 a curriculum-to-career pipeline that will prepare students in kindergarten through grade twelve to enter the State's workforce with the appropriate skills, certifications, licensing, or college credit upon graduation from high school.

Specifically, this measure provides parameters and funding to the Department of Education, in collaboration with the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, and the University of Hawaii, to develop and implement the K-12 curriculum-to-career-pipeline initiative.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Education, Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, and one individual.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Executive Office on Early Learning.

Your Committee finds that this measure will support, strengthen, and advance a consolidated statewide effort to prepare students for a career in the State, expand career options for students who graduate from Hawaii schools, and close the skills gap between workers and available jobs, particularly in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Your Committee notes that the Department of Education estimates that the implementation and operation of the program contained in this measure will require the services of one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) Educational Specialist II position. The cost to the State for an Educational Specialist II staff position is $97,202.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Adding specific language to the appropriation that authorizes the expenditure of funds for one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) Educational Specialist II position; and

(2) Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 373, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 373, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair