STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1203

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.C.R. No. 138

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Education and Higher Education, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 138 entitled:

 

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII SYSTEM TO DEVELOP PROGRAMMING AND EDUCATIONAL SUPPORTS FOR EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANTS AND LONG-TERM SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS TO EARN TEACHING DEGREES AND BECOME FULL-TIME CERTIFIED TEACHERS,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Education and University of Hawaii System to develop programming and educational supports for educational assistants and long-term substitute teachers to earn teaching degrees and become full-time certified teachers.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Government Employees' Association, AFSCME Local 152; Hawaii State Teachers Association; and two individuals.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Education and University of Hawaii System.

 

     Your Committees find that Hawaii is experiencing a teacher shortage crisis, resulting in overcrowding and classes that are taught by educational assistants and long-term substitute teachers.  Your Committees further find that educational assistants and substitute teachers frequently face significant obstacles to pursuing teacher certification requirements, including scheduling difficulties, lack of financial resources, and scarcity of adequate certification programming.

 

     Your Committees have heard the testimony of the University of Hawaii System expressing concerns that stipend funding to assist educational assistants and substitute teachers will require additional resources.  Your Committees request that if your Committee on Ways and Means passes this measure, that it further examine the issue of funding for stipends.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Higher Education that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 138 and recommend that it be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Higher Education,

 

________________________________

KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair

 

________________________________

MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair