STAND. COM. REP. NO. 446-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: H.B. No. 2508

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Lower & Higher Education and Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred H.B. No. 2508 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require and appropriate funds to the Department of Education to establish high value employment criteria for industry certification awards to public high schools.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Teachers Association, HawaiiKidsCAN, GEMAS Consulting, Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, Hawaii Food Industry Association, and numerous individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Executive Office on Early Learning, and Department of Education.

Your Committees find that, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 3.7 million students are expected to graduate high school during the 2019-2020 school year.  These students will be entering into a job market where postsecondary credentials are high in demand. An industry-recognized certification conveys a student's career readiness because the credential validates the competencies and skills required for success in a given occupation or industry. Your Committees further find that Hawaii has critical shortages of qualified local workers in sectors including health, education, air travel, and technology. This measure incentivizes Hawaii's schools to strategically prepare students for the workforce by encouraging industry certification in "high value" occupations. Your Committees note that charter schools stand to benefit from receiving industry certification awards similar to that received by public high schools through this measure.

Accordingly, your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring the State Public Charter Commission to establish high value employment criteria for industry certification awards to charter schools with grades nine through twelve;

(2) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050; and

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

Should your Committee on Finance decide to hear this measure, your Committees respectfully request that it consider appropriating funds to the State Public Charter School Commission for implementation of the industry certification awards to charter schools pursuant to this measure.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Lower & Higher Education and Labor & Public Employment that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2508, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2508, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Lower & Higher Education and Labor & Public Employment,

____________________________ AARON LING JOHANSON, Chair

____________________________ JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair