STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1877-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.C.R. No. 98

S.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 98, S.D. 1, entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO PARTNER WITH THE HAWAII STATE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION AND TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS AT LOCAL UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES TO PROVIDE PATHWAYS FOR SCHOOL SUPPORT PERSONNEL TO BECOME FULL-TIME TEACHERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Education to partner with the Hawaii State Teachers Association and teacher education programs at local universities and colleges to provide pathways for school support personnel to become full-time teachers.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education; University of Hawaiʻi System; Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association; and one individual.

Your Committee finds that the State is suffering a severe shortage of licensed teachers. In the 2021-2022 academic year, the Department of Education experienced a 12.3 percent increase in public school teacher turnover, with nine hundred twenty teachers who resigned and three hundred ten teachers who retired. School support staff for the Department of Education, such as aides and service staff, are also experiencing a high rate of turnover. Your Committee further finds that certain school support personnel, including education assistants, para-professional teachers, part-time teachers, and extended hire substitute teachers, play a critical role in the classroom. While school support personnel have extensive experience with instructional delivery, classroom operation, and pedagogy, many school support personnel who choose to enroll in teacher certification programs do not receive course credit for their classroom work and experience. Your Committee believes that providing more convenient pathways to obtain the requisites to become a full-time teacher will encourage school support personnel to pursue full‑time teaching careers, which will help the State's current teacher shortage.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 98, S.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair