STAND.
COM. REP. NO. 269-20
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2020
RE: H.B. No. 2203
H.D. 1
Honorable Scott K. Saiki
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirtieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2020
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Lower & Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2203 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to:
(1) Require the Department of Education to track and publish the use of all exclusionary discipline, disaggregated by student subgroup;
(2) Eliminate the use of out-of-school suspensions for students in prekindergarten through grade five; and
(3) Cap the use of out-of-school and in-school suspensions for students in grades six through twelve.
Your Committee
finds that there are significant public benefits to ensuring that all students
have access to a quality education in a welcoming learning environment. The disciplinary practice of excluding children, particularly
those children that belong to a protected class, from time, resources, and
activities at school has a detrimental public impact. Among the many possible disciplinary
interventions and consequences available to school officials, exclusions from
school, including out-of-school suspension and in-school suspension, are the
most serious. However, your Committee
recognizes that school administrators are cautious in the use of exclusionary
disciplinary practices, including suspensions, and that these practices are
only used as a last resort after other disciplinary options are
considered. School administrators
recognize the importance and value of student attendance and its impact on
student success, but also place safety as the utmost concern on their campuses
and for their students.
Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Deleting language that would restrict the use of out-of-school and in-school suspensions amongst students in grades six through twelve and eliminate the use of out-of-school suspensions for students in prekindergarten through grade five;
(2) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050; and
(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Lower & Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2203, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2203, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Lower & Higher Education,
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____________________________ JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair |
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