FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 1, 2001
Contact: Rep. Ken Ito
Tel.: 586-8470




EDUCATION COMMITTEE SCHEDULES HEARINGS MARATHON




The House Education Committee's ambitious agenda over the next five days includes four public hearings involving six different committees, including a joint hearing with the Senate Education Committee tomorrow afternoon. The hearings will evaluate a total of 28 bills, including benchmark legislation to address the Department of Education's (DOE) $640 million repair and maintenance backlog, to create a cohesive system within DOE to help students prepare for careers in the New Economy, to give limited voting rights to the student representative on the Board of Education, and to address teacher recruitment and retention.


"This should dispel any doubts that education issues are on the top of our to-do list as lawmakers," said Rep. Ken Ito, House Education Committee Chair. "We have our work cut out for us over the next few days, but we intend to make a difference."



Friday, Feb. 2 -- Double Hearing Day

8:30 a.m., Joint Hearing with House Committee on Labor & Public Employment


The key measure is House Bill 1561, which establishes a career development system within the DOE to prepare students for employment within the New Economy. The proposed system will eventually supplant the existing school-to-work system, which will lose its federal funding in October.


"We need a coherent system that works with students from kindergarten through high school," Ito said. "The goal is to create a seamless system that produces highly skilled, adaptable workers with strong academic and career skills."


Several bills scheduled address teacher recruitment and retention issues, including:



4:00 p.m. -- Joint Hearing with Senate Education Committee


In a rare joint hearing, the education committees of both legislative chambers will hear two bills aimed at resolving the DOE's $640 million school repair and maintenance backlog. H.B. 472 and its companion, Senate Bill 493, establishes a school repair and maintenance trust fund and provides for an income tax credit for ordinary citizens who contribute to the fund.


The bills were introduced at the urging of U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye, who also is an honorary co-chair of the America's Promise in Hawaii, which is based on the America's Promise -- The Alliance for Youth initiative of retired General Colin Powell, now U.S. Secretary of State.


Ito said there is a tremendous opportunity for the trust fund to partner with the America's Promise effort to galvanize community and government support, as well as attract some federal dollars, for the upkeep of Hawaii's public schools. "We'll never catch up if the State goes it alone and spends only $45 million a year on the problem," he said.



Saturday, Feb. 3


The House Education Committee will consider H.B. 2, which amends the Hawaii State Constitution to allow the student representative on the Board of Education limited voting rights.


"This bill has strong bipartisan support in the House," Ito said. "Perhaps it's time we gave students more say in what happens in the schools."


The student representative, who is chosen by the Hawaii State Student Council, would be allowed to vote on everything except personnel matters, Ito said.



Monday, Feb. 5 -- Joint Hearing with the Committees on Higher Education; Health; and Human Services & Housing


One of the key areas supported by House Democrats is early childhood education because of its long term impact on a child's development. The joint hearing will consider two bills:


"Of course there are many more bills we'll be evaluating over the next five days," Ito said, "But these seem to rise up as having potentially the greatest impact on improving educational quality and performance for the long term."



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