STAND. COM. REP. NO. 977-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: S.B. No. 2218
                                     S.D. 1
                                     H.D. 1




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 S.B. No.
2218, S.D. 1, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO NEW CENTURY CHARTER SCHOOLS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to:

     (1)  Provide legal protection to charter school boards;

     (2)  Require the Auditor to consider the recommendations of
          local school boards in determining the allocations for
          New Century Charter Schools;

     (3)  Require the Auditor to develop fund allocation
          methodology that can be applied to various alternative
          forms of schools, including New Century Charter
          Schools;

     (4)  Appropriate funds for the establishment of additional
          New Century Charter Schools; and 

     (5)  Allow groups of teachers to form a New Century Charter
          School.

     The Hawaii State Teachers Association supported this bill.
The Department of Education supported this bill with amendments.

 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 977-00
                                 Page 2

 
The Hawaii State Goverment Employees Association supported the
intent of this bill with reservations.  The State Auditor
commented on this bill.

     Your Committee finds that New Century Charter Schools are a
dynamic new component of Hawaii's educational system and should
be supported.  Your Committee further finds that the provisions
of this bill will help to ensure the viability of charter schools
and will further the process of refining the charter school law.

     Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended this
bill by clarifying that the allocation methodology established by
the Auditor should only be applicable to alternative forms of
public schools.  The language could previously have been
construed to apply to private schools as well.

     Other technical, nonsubstantive amendments were also made
for purposes of style and clarity

     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.
2218, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass
Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2218, S.D.
1, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committees on Labor and Public
Employment and Finance.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   KEN ITO, Chair