STAND. COM. REP. NO. 481

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 503

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Higher Education & Technology, to which was referred H.B. No. 503, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Board of Education to work with the Department of Education to conduct an analysis on the need, impact, and feasibility of making computer science a graduation requirement;

(2) Require the Board of Education to determine whether making computer science a graduation requirement would be in the best interests of public school students and the public;

(3) Require a report to the Legislature; and

(4) Appropriate funds for teacher professional development in computer science.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from HawaiiKidsCan, RAI Hawaii, TechNet, and three individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Board of Education and Department of Education.

Your Committee finds that computing-based occupations now make up more than half of all projected new jobs in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. Despite this trend, national survey and research results show a disparity between the demand for computer science education and its availability. The State has made strides in increasing public school offerings of a foundational computer science course but has still fallen short on its enrollment goals for these courses.

By tasking the Board of Education and the Department of Education to analyze whether computer science should be made a graduation requirement, your Committee acknowledges that computer skills have taken on a greater role in employability and are, therefore, a priority in student preparation. This measure also promotes computer science curriculum by providing professional development funding in the subject.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount; and

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

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $600,000.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education & Technology that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 503, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 503, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

AMY A. PERRUSO, Chair