STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1616-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.C.R. No. 164

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 164 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO INCREASE ACCESS TO ARTS AND CULTURAL EDUCATION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO ADDRESS LEARNING LOSS CAUSED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to urge the Department of Education to increase access to arts and cultural education in public schools.

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

Your Committee finds that providing a well-rounded education to all public school students advances the economic and social health of Hawaii, and that art, music, and cultural curricula constitute important parts of a well-rounded education that address the developmental needs of the whole child. Your Committee further finds that during the COVID-19 pandemic, Hawaii's public school students experienced "learning loss", with the Department of Education reporting in 2021 that just thirty-two percent of public school students were proficient in math, a twenty-six percent drop from 2019. Your Committee believes that increased access to arts and cultural education in public schools will address learning loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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 H.C.R. No. 164 and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

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JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair