STAND. COM. REP. NO. 430-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: H.B. No. 2603

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Lower & Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2603 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Department of Education to establish a pilot program to provide grants for certain high school students to enroll in college courses through the running start program or other similar programs for college credits during the 2020-2021 academic year, under certain provisions;

(2) Expand the eligibility of the Hawaii Educator Loan Program to include students who have completed a teaching program at a career academy, under certain requirements;

(3) Appropriate funds into and out of the Hawaii Educator Loan Program Revolving Fund; and

(4) Require the Department of Education and University of Hawaii to evaluate the efficacy of this measure and provide the 2021 and 2022 Legislature with its findings and recommendations.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education and two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Executive Office on Early Learning and College of Education of the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii faces a critical shortage of workers in certain career fields and must implement programs to connect youth to these high-demand career fields. Your Committee recognizes an example of an innovative program to address education needs is Waipahu high school's academy of professional and public services, a career academy that works to increase student achievement through authentic and rigorous experiences in a wide variety of career fields. Your Committee additionally recognizes that the Hawaii educator loan program was established in 2001 to address the State's teacher shortage by providing loans to students participating in teacher education programs. This measure will establish initiatives at the Department of Education and University of Hawaii to expand opportunities for prospective future teachers.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Broadening the scope of the Department of Education's pilot program to award grants to students:

(A) Currently enrolled in a career academy program focused on career disciplines of high need in the State, including teacher education or a similar field; and

(B) The courses in which the student intends to enroll are applicable to the requirements for an associate degree in career disciplines of high need, including teaching;

(2) Inserting an unspecified appropriation to the Department of Education to establish the pilot program to provide grants;

(3) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Lower & Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2603, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2603, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Lower & Higher Education,

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair