STAND. COM. REP. NO. 295-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: H.B. No. 2391
                                     




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No.
2391 entitled:

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR PARENT-
     COMMUNITY NETWORKING CENTERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to appropriate $1,238,476 to the
Department of Education to evenly implement the parent-community
networking center program by funding a complete center for each
school, providing a coordinator for each departmental school
district, and providing a parent facilitator for each school.

     This bill also appropriates $89,856 to the Department of
Education, for eight parent liaison coordinators, to demonstrate
the efficacy of classroom generated partnerships on student well-
being and achievement in eight schools; one school per
departmental school district (of which there are seven) and one
school in Kona on the island of Hawaii.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this bill
from the Department of Education, the Hawaii State Teachers
Association, the Hawaii State Parent, Teachers and Students
Association (PTSA), the Hawaii Community Education Association,
the principals or vice-principals of six schools, district PCNC
coordinators, PCNC facilitators, parent facilitators, teachers
and other school staff, and constituents.

 
a                                                         00-1123
 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 295-00
                                 Page 2

 
     Your Committee finds that there is a wealth of resources
hidden in every school's community.  The challenge for
legislators and educators alike is determining how best to enlist
these resources in order to improve student achievement.
Positive school-community relations and supportive attitudes
among educators, parents, and community members can increase the
public's involvement in the education of Hawaii's youths.  All
too frequently, the depth and breadth of these resources become
apparent only after the Board of Education, the Governor, or the
Legislature propose to close a school or eliminate a program.

     Parent-community networking centers allow schools and
communities to work together naturally, without the contrivances
of the Board of Education, the Governor, or the Legislature to
get in the way of things.  While the artificiality of education
reform efforts can be their greatest downfall, parent-community
networking centers are as natural as neighbors gathering on the
sidewalk to talk about issues and concerns.  The stability of
school-community relations is ultimately dependent on the roots
that support it.  Parent-community networking centers facilitate
the growth of deep roots and provide the basis for stable school-
community relations.

     This bill will enable the Department of Education to evenly
implement the parent-community networking center program, and
smooth out past inequities caused by the lack of adequate
funding.

     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.
2391 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred
to the Committee on Finance.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   KEN ITO, Chair

 
a                                                         00-1123