STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2370

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2333

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2333 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) Authorize supplemental categorical funding for remote schools; and

(2) Make and appropriation for supplemental categorical funding for remote schools.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education, Hawaii State Teachers Association, and State Public Charter Schools Commission.

Your Committee finds that the Reinventing Education Act of 2004 (Act 51, Session Laws of Hawaii 2004) established a weighted student formula to allocate moneys to schools according to the different costs of educating students with varying needs. Despite the intended equitable distribution of funds, your Committee finds that the weighted student formula has placed small, remote schools at a disadvantage.

Your Committee further finds that despite the current economic situation, remote schools should be funded to retain the minimal personnel and resources necessary to allow students to graduate. One way to address this is to allow these schools to receive supplemental funding based on their remote status.

Accordingly, your Committee finds that this measure will provide greater financial assistance to certain remote schools in great need of the assistance by allowing these schools to receive supplemental funding and appropriating funds for the same.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Expanding the definition of "remote schools" to include certain schools identified by the Department of Education; and

(2) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

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. 2333, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2333, 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,

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MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair