STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2756

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3156

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Education and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 3156 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish a statewide transition success network for high school students with disabilities; and

(2) Appropriate funds.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the State Public Charter Commission and nine private individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Education.

Your Committees find that the State must prepare students with disabilities for success after high school through experiences in post-secondary education, vocational training, and competitive employment. The Department of Education has been in discussions with the University of Hawaii Center on Disability Studies on how best to collaborate effectively on these matters. These discussions are at an advanced stage and may serve as the appropriate foundation for a pilot project at one high school starting fiscal year 2020-2021, with the Department of Education providing start-up and technical assistance activities. It is your Committees' intention that this pilot project shall develop into an ongoing statewide transition network beginning in fiscal year 2021-2022, which would require additional funding to fully implement.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting appropriations to the University of Hawaii and Department of Education school districts;

(2) Inserting blank amounts for the remaining appropriations for the pilot program and Department of Education start-up and technical assistance costs;

(3) Establishing a pilot program that shall start in one high school during school year 2020-2021;

(4) Pushing back the start date of the statewide transition success network to school year 2021-2022;

(5) Clarifying that charter school students are included in this measure;

(6) Stipulating that the University of Hawaii and Department of Education shall collaborate in the selection of the initial high school for the pilot program; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3156, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3156, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Human Services,

________________________________ RUSSELL E. RUDERMAN, Chair

________________________________ MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair