STAND. COM. REP. NO.  967

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

 

RE:   S.B. No. 778

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ocean, Marine Resources, & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 778, S.D. 2, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to require and provide funding for the Department of Education to develop and implement annual assessments in the Hawaiian language, in accordance with established standards and state and federal assessment requirements, for students in the Ka Papahana Kaiapuni, Hawaiian language immersion program.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, Kalihi Palama Hawaiian Civic Club, Ewa Puuloa Hawaiian Civil Club, King Kamehameha Hawaiian Civic Club, Hui Makaainana O Makana, and numerous individuals.  The Department of Education, Laboratory School Program of the College of Hawaiian Language of the University of Hawaii at Hilo, and Aha Punana Leo submitted comments.

 

     Your Committee acknowledges that the Department of Education is currently developing Hawaiian language assessments for students in certain elementary school grades and that the Department has undertaken this important task even though it tests the limits of the Department's capacity.  However, your Committee also finds that in the absence of adequate Hawaiian language assessments, many families choose to opt their students out of assessments altogether, which may have repercussions for the funding and ranking of Ka Papaha Kaiapuni schools.  

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Specifying that the Department of Education shall implement Hawaiian language assessments beginning with the 2020-2021 school year; and

 

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency. 

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ocean, Marine Resources, & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 778, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 778, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Education.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ocean, Marine Resources, & Hawaiian Affairs,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

KANIELA ING, Chair