STAND. COM. REP. NO. 976-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: S.B. No. 2722
                                     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.
2722, S.D. 1, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE IMMERSION
     PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to statutorily establish a
Hawaiian language immersion program within the Department of
Education and enable its full implementation.

     Your Committee finds that there has been a Hawaiian
immersion component of the public schools for over thirteen
years.  The first class of seniors was graduated last year.  The
Hawaiian immersion program has proved itself as a viable
alternative to the regular Department of Education curriculum.
The program has been underfunded as compared to the regular
public schools, as the budget for the immersion program received
little or no increase for years even as the student population
increased.

     Your Committee finds that this bill, by establishing a full-
fledged Hawaiian immersion program in the Department of
Education, will provide the kind of support necessary to allow
the program to reach its full potential and provide a quality
immersion education.

 
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                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 976-00
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     Your Committee has amended the bill by clarifying that the
charter and lab schools referred to in the bill are Hawaiian
immersion charter and lab schools, and by specifying by name the
operational and financial plan of the immersion program.

     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.
2722, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass
Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2722, S.D.
1, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   KEN ITO, Chair

 
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