STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2597

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2259

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2259 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SCHOOLS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish a workforce readiness diploma program within the Department of Education Adult Community Schools Program; and

(2) Appropriate funds.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education, McKinley Community School for Adults, Waipahu Community School for Adults, McKinley Community School for Adults – Moanalua Campus, Hawaii Workforce Development Council, Hawaii Food Industry Association, Hawaii Pacific Health, and nine private individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Executive Office of Early Learning, and Early Learning Board.

Your Committee finds that this measure supports, strengthens, and advances a consolidated statewide effort by the Community Schools for Adults to prepare students for the career pipeline with the appropriate skills, attributes, certifications, and college credit to quickly become effective contributors to the local workforce.

Your Committee urges the Department of Education to consider applying workforce readiness in high need areas of education such as early childhood education as it implements the workforce readiness diploma program proposed by this measure.

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. 2259 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