STAND. COM. REP. NO. 59

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 340

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 S.B. No. 340 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to amend the Board of Education's membership by inviting the exclusive representative for bargaining unit (5) to appoint a nonvoting public school teacher representative to the Board.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Hawai‘i Teacher Standards Board, Hawaii State Teachers Association, O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and one individual. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the League of Women Voters of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that the Board of Education, consisting of nine members and none of whom are required to be public school teachers, is given the power to formulate statewide educational policy. As such, the appointment of a current public school teacher, as a nonvoting member, to the Board will provide first-hand experience and expertise on the educational climate in Hawaii's public schools and explain the resources teachers need to help Hawaii's students. Additionally, this measure provides the Board with insight into current and proposed educational practices and policies and the effects of those practices and policies on teachers, students, and the community.

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 S.B. No. 340 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

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

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MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair