HB2483 HSCR307-02

 

STAND. COM. REP. NO.307-02

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2002

RE: H.B. No. 2483

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2483 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to establish a teacher education scholarship program funded through income tax check-offs.

Under this bill, persons submitting state income tax returns will be able to designate $3 of the person's tax liability to help fund scholarships for students who are enrolled in a state-approved public teacher education program and, upon graduation, teach in the public school system for not less than four years.

Additionally, the bill establishes the scholarships for educators program, to be established and administered by the Department of Education, and the Hawaii scholarships for educators special fund, into which shall be deposited revenues from the scholarship income tax check-off and donations from private sources.

Your Committee is cognizant that public education faces a severe shortage of teachers that will extend into the coming decade and, therefore, there is a critical need to recruit and retain qualified teachers who are committed to Hawaii's public schools. Many teachers who have been recruited from the mainland tend to leave after a few years. Accordingly, your Committee finds that there is a pressing need to expand the local pool of eligible teachers who are committed to staying in Hawaii. Your Committee believes that one means of ensuring the availability of teachers is to provide scholarships to students pursuing a degree in teaching in a state-approved program, who commit to teaching in the Hawaii public school system for not less than four years. At the same time, your Committee finds that it is appropriate to allow taxpayers the opportunity to support public education and to contribute to the effort to recruit and retain qualified teachers who are committed to Hawaii's public schools.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2483 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

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

 

		____________________________ KEN ITO, Chair