STAND. COM. REP. NO.  982

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

RE:   S.B. No. 822

      S.D. 1

      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 Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 822, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to assist the Department of Education and the Department's schools in implementing the minimum day and hour requirements for each school year, as established by Act 167, Session Laws of Hawaii 2010.  This measure clarifies the timeline for phasing in a 1,080-hour school year by 2016 and clarifies the manner in which hours are calculated. 

The Hawaii State Teachers Association, Hui for Excellence in Education, and numerous concerned individuals supported the measure.  The Department of Education supported the measure with amendments.  The Hawaii State AFL-CIO and a concerned individual opposed the measure.  IMUAlliance submitted comments.

     Your Committee has amended the measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying that the requirement for a 180 day, 1,080 hour school year applies to the 2016-2017 school year and subsequent school years;

     (2)  Clarifying that the number of school year hours shall be calculated based on the actual hours included in a full school day; and 

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     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. 822, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 822, 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,

____________________________

ROY M. TAKUMI, Chair