STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1630

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 215

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 S.C.R. No. 215 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO CONVENE A WORKING GROUP TO IDENTIFY THE MOST RELEVANT FACTORS THAT HINDER PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THEIR DEVELOPMENT OF ROBOTICS PROGRAMS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Education to convene a working group to identify the most relevant factors that hinder public schools in their development of robotics programs.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education.

Your Committee finds that robotics appeals to a broad range of interests and allows multiple points of access to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics for many types of learners. Many Hawaii schools have robotics teams, but there are still many constraints on funding, resources, and instructors that prevent some schools from building robotics programs and recruiting students. Therefore, in order to improve science education in the State and increase opportunities for students to participate in robotics, it is necessary to identify factors and resources needed to sustain current and future robotics programs in public schools.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Specifying that the purpose of the working group is to identify factors and resources needed to sustain current and future robotics programs within the Department of Education;

(2) Clarifying the issues that the working group is requested to evaluate;

(3) Amending the composition of the working group; 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 concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 215, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means, in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 215, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,

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MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair