STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2033

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2820

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2820 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TEACHER COMPENSATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds for teacher differentials to help address labor shortages in the areas of special education, hard-to-staff geographic locations, and Hawaiian language immersion programs.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education; State Public Charter School Commission; Executive Office on Early Learning; College of Hawaiian Language, University of Hawai‘i at Hilo; College of Education, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa; Special Education Advisory Council; Hawaii State Teachers Association; Hui for Excellence in Education; Education Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i; Children's Action Network Speaks!; Labor Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i; Ho‘okāko‘o Corporation; and one hundred and nine individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Fiscal Services and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii continues to face a chronic teacher shortage, which undermines student learning and achievement. This is particularly true with respect to special education, hard-to-staff geographic locations, and Hawaiian language immersion programs. Your Committee therefore finds that funding teacher differentials identified in this measure will help address the State's teacher shortage in these areas.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the parties to the negotiations required by section 3 of the measure are the governing boards of the State's public charter schools and a representative from collective bargaining unit (5); and

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

Your Committee notes that the estimated appropriation necessary for this measure is $34,500,000.

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. 2820, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2820, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________

MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair