STAND. COM. REP. NO. 538

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1354

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committees on Education and Economic Development and Taxation, to which was referred S.B. No. 1354 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INNOVATION IN EDUCATION,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to create a system of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) academies for students in middle and high school to ensure preparedness of students for post-secondary education and beyond.

 

     Specifically, this measure:

 

     (1)  Establishes the Hawaii Excellence through Science and Technology (HiEST) Academy Program to increase preparedness for post-secondary education and the workforce and provides funding therefor;

 

     (2)  Establishes the Fostering Inspiration and Relevance through Science and Technology (FIRST) pre-academy program and provides funding therefor;

 

     (3)  Establishes the Robotics and Space Contextual Learning Program to develop science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills and provides funding therefor;

 

     (4)  Establishes the Business/Education Internship and Mentorship Program to increase opportunities for high school and college students to gain work experience and provides funding therefor;

 

     (5)  Establishes the Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) program and provides funding therefor;

 

     (6)  Establishes a professional development program to provide practicing elementary, middle, and high school teachers of science and mathematics with opportunities to increase their knowledge and understanding in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects and funding for such professional development;

 

     (7)  Appropriates funds for STEM stipends under the U.S. Department of Labor's Transition to Teaching Program;

 

     (8)  Establishes a STEM scholarship program and the STEM Scholarship Special Fund;

 

     (9)  Establishes the Eminent Scholars Program; and

 

    (10)  Establishes the State Akamai Investment Matching Special Fund and appropriates moneys therefor.

 

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Governor of Hawaii; the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; the Department of Education; the University of Hawaii; the College of Engineering of the University of Hawaii at Manoa; Chaminade University; the Workforce Development Council; Hawaii Pacific University; the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools; the National Science Teachers Association; the American Chemical Society; the Maui Chamber of Commerce; 3D Innovations, LLC; Ambient Micro, LLC; Applied Marine Solutions; BDI Maritime; CTA Solutions; Hawaii Crop Improvement Association; the Hawaii Science & Technology Council; the High Technology Development Corporation; Kona Bay Marine Resources; KUD International, LLC; Phase 3 Properties, Inc.; Oceanic Imaging Consultants; SEE/RESCUE Corporation; and thirty-nine individuals. 

 

     Comments on the measure were also submitted by the Hawaii State Teachers Association and the Institute for Astronomy.

 

     Your Committees find that to move Hawaii forward to succeed in this new millennium requires a dedication to supporting innovation and technology and growing a qualified workforce to support these areas.  Competition in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) has escalated throughout the world, and Hawaii needs to invest in the education and training of our students to ensure that they will succeed in the workforce.  Your Committees find that currently, the public school system is not graduating adequate numbers of students with basic STEM skills.  Therefore, an emphasis must be placed on programs to develop skills in these areas to prepare our students for challenging careers in this global society where STEM disciplines have become prominent. 

 

     This measure addresses many aspects involved in developing a comprehensive approach to promoting the STEM disciplines, including establishing STEM academies, growing and fostering a STEM teaching workforce through the provision of stipends and scholarships, and providing additional work experience opportunities for students.  This session, there are several measures that address various programs and initiatives relating to the development of STEM programs.  Your Committees believe that the Legislature is committed to addressing the current need for an existing and future highly-skilled, highly-qualified workforce.  As such, the Legislature must look at the different ways in which appropriate programs can be developed and funded to concentrate and maximize State resources.  In order to allow for ease of consideration of the different components of this measure, your Committees determine that removing parts of this measure and placing them into other measures covering the same topics is appropriate at this time.

 

     Accordingly, your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Removing provisions that provided for the establishment of the following:

      

          (A)  The Hawaii Excellence through Science and Technology (HiEST) Academy Program and funding therefor;

 

          (B)  The Robotics and Space Contextual Learning Program and funding therefor;

 

          (C)  The Business/Education Internship and Mentorship Program and funding therefor;

 

          (D)  The Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) program and funding therefor; and

 

          (E)  A professional development program to provide practicing elementary, middle, and high school teachers of science and mathematics with opportunities to increase their knowledge and understanding in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects and funding for such professional development; and

 

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity and to conform to preferred drafting style.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Economic Development and Taxation that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1354, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1354, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Economic Development and Taxation,

 

____________________________

CAROL FUKUNAGA, Chair

 

____________________________

NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair