STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2349

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2970

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Hawaiian Affairs and Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2970 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds to the University of Hawaii at Mānoa College of Education, the University of Hawaii at Hilo's Ka Haka Ula o Keelikōlani, the Kahuawaiola indigenous teacher education program, and the Ka Papahana Kaiapuni program for the purpose of establishing professional qualifications and developing training programs for the Ka Papahana Kaiapuni program's staff.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education, Hawaiian Civic Club of Honolulu, Aha Punana Leo, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, and ten individuals.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the University of Hawaii.

 

     Your Committees find that there still exists a shortage of educators who specialize in Hawaiian medium-immersion education, even thirty years after the establishment of the Ka Papahana Kaiapuni program.  Your Committees realize that there is a critical need of educators that specialize in the Hawaiian language to better preserve the Hawaiian culture and instill it in Hawaii's keiki.  Programs such as the University of Hawaii at Hilo's Ka Haka Ula o Keelikōlani, Kahuawaiola indigenous teacher education program and the Ka Papahana Kaiapuni program and the work done at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa Kawaihuelani Center for Hawaiian Language support the revitalization and renormalization of the Hawaiian language by better preparing educators to have a high level of cultural and academic quality in Hawaiian medium-immersion education.  Your Committees further find that funding these programs to dovetail efforts with the Department of Education's and the University of Hawaii's educator preparation programs will support the protection and revitalization of the Hawaiian language and culture.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure as suggested by the Department of Education by:

 

     (1)  Adding language that directs the University of Hawaii at Mānoa's College of Education to collaborate with the Kawaihuelani Hawaiian Language College and Department of Education to establish professional qualifications and develop training programs for the Ka Papahana Kaiapuni program;

 

     (2)  Consolidating the appropriation into one appropriation, to be allocated equally to the University of Hawaii at Mānoa and the University of Hawaii at Hilo and to be expended by the University of Hawaii rather than the Department of Education; and

 

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

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Hawaiian Affairs and Higher Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2970, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2970, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 


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

 

________________________________

KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair

 

________________________________

MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO, Chair