STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1064

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 533

       H.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 533, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHARTER SCHOOLS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to provide funding to the State Public Charter School Commission for the acquisition, repair, maintenance, and rental of charter school facilities.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State Public Charter School Commission; Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Hawaii State Teachers Association; Kamehameha Schools; National Alliance for Public Charter Schools; Hawaii Public Charter School Network; Hawaii Children's Action Network; IMUAlliance; Hawaii Island School Garden Network; Ka ‘Umeke Ka‘eo Public Charter School; Goodwill Hawaii; The Maritime Group, LLC; and sixteen individuals.

     Your Committee finds that facilities funding is a long standing and persistent problem for charter schools in Hawaii.  Your Committee further finds that, while start-up charter schools have paid the costs of their facilities from operational funds, Act 234, Session Laws of Hawaii 2015, authorized a framework for providing facilities funding and support for public charter school facilities with adequate prioritization, oversight, and accountability.  Your Committee additionally finds that, while public charter schools may request facilities funding as part of its annual budget request, the amounts received in recent fiscal years have been insufficient to meet the costs of providing and maintaining high-quality facilities.  Your Committee also finds that a lack of adequate facilities has a negative impact on the education of a school's students.  This measure will provide monies to the State Public Charter School Commission to satisfy the unmet financial needs of public charter schools in Hawaii.

     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. 533, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair