STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1454

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 245

H.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 245, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to expand the powers of the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board to include approving professional development courses and programs necessary for teacher reclassification.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board and Hawaii State Teachers Association. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education.

Your Committee finds that professional development for teachers is essential to building capacity in response to the ever-changing demands of the teaching workforce. Because the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board is the entity that certifies teachers, the Board is aware of the current standards for teachers. This measure ensures that there is a wide variety of relevant professional development courses available for Hawaii public school teachers to expand their expertise and better equip them to teach Hawaii's children.

To assist the Committee on Ways and Means with its deliberation on this measure, your Committee notes that an appropriation amount of $100,000 and one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) position for the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board may be necessary for the added responsibility of approving professional development courses and programs necessary for teacher reclassification.

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. 245, 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