STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2599

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2065

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2065 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SCHOOLS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish a Workforce Readiness Program within the Department of Education to allow students to graduate from an extended high school enrollment with an industry-recognized associate's degree to complement the student's high school diploma; and

(2) Appropriate moneys to develop and implement the program, including two Educational Specialist II staff positions and seven District Office Teachers.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education and Hawaii Food Industry Association. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Executive Office on Early Learning, and Early Learning Board.

Your Committee finds that creating a coordinated workforce development system by engaging stakeholders across education, business, industry, and higher education is a vital part of developing a qualified pool of talent ready to meet our local, regional and global economic and labor demands.

Your Committee further finds that the Department of Education is urged to consider implementing the workforce readiness program in high need areas of education such as early childhood education as it will help provide a qualified field of workers for in‑demand occupations as intended by this measure.

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 S.B. No. 2065 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair