STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1023-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: S.B. No. 3037

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Lower & Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 3037, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHARTER SCHOOLS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to amend various statutes governing charter schools. Specifically, this measure:

(1) Clarifies and consolidates the content required to be included in the authorizer's annual report to the Board of Education and Legislature;

(2) Streamlines the application process for new charter schools;

(3) Amends certain academic and financial indicators and measures in the framework upon which the performance provisions of a charter contract are based; and

(4) Amends the annual financial audit process to allow charter schools to select an independent auditor from a list of approved independent auditors provided by the State Public Charter School Commission.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State Public Charter School Commission. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that this measure makes several housekeeping amendments that will give authorizers and charter schools greater flexibility, which will facilitate the efficient operation of the Hawaii's public charter school system.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to July 1, 2051.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Lower & Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3037, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3037, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Labor & Public Employment.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Lower & Higher Education,

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair