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THE SENATE                           S.C.R. NO.            S.D. 1
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                    SENATE  CONCURRENT
                        RESOLUTION


  RECOGNIZING THE HAWAII COUNCIL OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND
    REQUESTING IT TO REPORT ON ITS ACTIONS, FUNCTIONS, AND
    DUTIES.


 1        WHEREAS, in June 1995, Governor Ben Cayetano signed into
 2   law Act 188, which removed the requirement that Hawaii private
 3   schools be licensed by the Department of Education; and
 4   
 5        WHEREAS, the intent of Act 188 was to deregulate the
 6   licensing of private schools by the State of Hawaii and allow
 7   private schools to self-regulate; and
 8   
 9        WHEREAS, following the enactment of this law, the Hawaii
10   Association of Independent Schools organized an agency called
11   the Hawaii Council of Private Schools to perform the regulatory
12   functions and assume the responsibilities of the Department of
13   Education for the licensing of private schools; and
14   
15        WHEREAS, the Hawaii Council of Private Schools is
16   currently a viable organization in Hawaii and serves as a
17   liaison between Hawaii's private schools and the Legislature,
18   as well as the Departments of Education, Health, and
19   Transportation; and
20   
21        WHEREAS, the Department of Education has formally
22   recognized the Hawaii Council of Private Schools as the agency
23   responsible for the licensing of all private schools and the
24   Department of Education will recognize work done at schools
25   licensed by the Hawaii Council of Private Schools as
26   substantially equal to work done in Hawaii's public schools;
27   and 
28   
29        WHEREAS, as the regulatory agency for private schools, the
30   Hawaii Council of Private Schools is also responsible for all
31   related matters, such as the publication of an annual directory
32   of licensed schools, as well as an annual enrollment report,
33   the keeping of permanent records for all schools, and the
34   handling of complaints to the licensed private schools; and

 
Page 2                                                     186
                                  S.C.R. NO.            S.D. 1
                                                        H.D. 1
                                                        

 
 1        WHEREAS, while the State is no longer involved in the
 2   regulation of private schools, the Legislature nonetheless
 3   maintains a strong interest in the well-being of all students
 4   in both public and private schools; now, therefore,
 5   
 6        BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twentieth Legislature
 7   of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 1999, the House of
 8   Representatives concurring, that the Hawaii Council of Private
 9   Schools is recognized for its excellent work with Hawaii's
10   private schools, and is requested to prepare a biennial report
11   which inventories its comprehensive duties and functions,
12   details the process, procedures, and requirements for licensing
13   private schools, and describes future plans and activities; and
14   
15        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Hawaii Council of Private
16   Schools submit this report to the Legislature no later than
17   twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session 2000;
18   and
19   
20        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
21   Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Hawaii Council of
22   Private Schools and the Superintendent of Education.