STAND. COM. REP. NO. 33

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 812

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 812 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Require the superintendent to serve as the summer learning coordinator and coordinate all summer programs for children; and

(2) Require the summer learning coordinator to leverage certain federal funds for school-based summer programs.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i Afterschool Alliance, Hawai‘i Children's Action Network Speaks!, After-School All-Stars Hawaii, Hawai‘i Arts Alliance, Kaho‘omiki, Parents and Children Together, HE‘E Coalition, and eight individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii State Teachers Association. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education and Department of Human Services.

Your Committee finds that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic resulted in students suffering from learning loss, especially those students that are the most vulnerable or coming from low-income families. Your Committee further finds that summer months should be utilized to provide students with coordinated summer programs so that students can close the achievement gap and be provided deeper learning and extra help in order to recover from the learning loss that resulted from school closures and disrupted schedules. Summer programs may also assist in addressing students' mental health, promoting physical activity, and allowing parents and caregivers time to return to work or seek employment. This measure will require the superintendent to coordinate summer programs, which will provide students with the support they need to overcome any learning loss or lack of social or mental benefits derived from regular school activities.

Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

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. 812, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 812, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________

MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair