STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1059-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.B. No. 2824

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2824, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to amend the minimum qualifications for Board of Education members to:

(1) Diversify the experiences of the Board to include knowledge, experience, and proven expertise in education, workforce development, critical industries to the State, emerging fields, energy, advanced manufacturing, health care, business, technology, entrepreneurship, real estate finance, or organization management; and

(2) Clarify that members of the Board must have an understanding of best practices in educational governance through organizations such as the National Association of State Boards of Education.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from HawaiiKidsCAN and two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Board of Education.

Your Committee finds that the Board of Education serves the important role of formulating the educational policy for the State's education system. As schools expand their career readiness programs and partnerships with employers to meet the needs of the local and global workforce and community, the Board of Education will need to have a sophisticated understanding of policy related to a wide range of subjects and disciplines. Your Committee believes that requiring Board of Education members to have diversified backgrounds, expertise, and perspectives as well as knowledge about best practices from expert organizations will benefit Hawaii's education system.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to July 1, 2051.

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. 2824, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2824, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair