STAND. COM. REP. NO. 460

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 838

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 838 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TEACHERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Increase the bonus for teachers who achieve and maintain a current national board certification from $5,000 to $10,000; and

(2) Appropriate funds to fund the teacher bonuses.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi Teacher Standards Board; State Public Charter School Commission; Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Office of Collective Bargaining. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General and Department of Education.

Your Committee finds that, according to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, Hawaii currently has 789 total National Board Certified Teachers, with 345 more individuals pursuing this prestigious distinction. Your Committee further finds that the process of seeking National Board Certification is rigorous and often referred to as the most effective professional development that a teacher can go through. Your Committee believes that incentivizing teachers to pursue National Board Certification Teacher status will encourage more teachers to pursue the rigorous process while also encouraging them to stay in the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the amount appropriated to an unspecified amount;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000; and

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

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 H.B. No. 838, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 838, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair