SSCR3300

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3300

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 500

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 500, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Education to promote surfing as an interscholastic sport.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation, Hoemana, and ten individuals.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from two individuals.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education.

Your Committee finds that surfing has significant cultural, social, and economic value to the people of Hawaii and the many visitors who travel to the State for surfing. While surfing has been sanctioned by the Department of Education since 2004, only one of five local athletic leagues have sponsored surfing as an interscholastic sport. Limited opportunities for students to pursue surfing may not provide student-athletes inspired by surfing with the full range of experiences to participate in competitive sports.

Additionally, your Committee further finds that for students to be competitive in the twenty-first century, a variety of academic and extracurricular experiences are needed to provide a well-rounded education. Expansion of workforce readiness programs, school athletics, and academic coursework will offer students opportunities to tailor their education to their interests while ensuring preparation for future academic and professional goals. Therefore, amendments to this measure are needed to ensure adequate funding for various Department of Education programs to support workforce readiness and extracurricular activities in Department of Education schools.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting additional unspecified appropriation amounts for the following programs:

(A) Statewide participation at student-led conferences for middle and high schools;

(B) Middle school athletics programs;

(D) Work-based learning opportunities for students to apply skills and knowledge in a workplace context partnering with local employers and regional economic development priorities;

(E) Math camps;

(F) Intra-state travel funds for neighbor island student participation in annual JROTC competitions;

(G) Foreign language programs that provide students with language skills to enter high-demand occupations in the fields of hospitality and tourism and cyber-security;

(H) Middle school education;

(I) Professional learning in classrooms to support activities such as applied mathematics, financial literacy education, and instructional resources;

(J) Implementation of middle school student councils, enhancement student activities programs, and the annual Middle Level Student Leadership Summit for grades six through eight; and

(K) Teaching and learning in secondary mathematics.

(2) Inserting language declaring that the general fund expenditure ceiling is exceeded;

(3) Amending section 1 to reflect its amended purpose; and

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

Your Committee notes that this measure contains an unspecified total appropriation amount. Should your Committee on Ways and Means choose to deliberate on this measure, your Committee respectfully requests that it consider inserting appropriation amounts for fiscal year 2024-2025, as follows:

(1) $42,000 for the promotion and support of surfing as an interscholastic sport;

(2) $150,000 for statewide participation at student-led conferences for middle and high schools;

(3) $5,000,000 for middle school athletics programs;

(4) $2,500,000 for workforce readiness initiatives;

(5) $1,652,040 for students to apply skills and knowledge in a workplace context partnering with local employers and regional economic development priorities;

(6) $56,350 for math camps;

(7) $45,000 for intra-state travel funds for neighbor island student participation in annual JROTC competitions;

(8) $275,000 for foreign language programs in preparation of high-demand occupations in hospitality and tourism and cyber-security;

(9) $579,450 for middle school education;

(10) $646,138 for professional learning in classrooms to support activities such as applied mathematics, financial literacy education, and instructional resources;

(11) $110,136 for implementation of middle school student councils, enhancement of student activities programs, and the annual Middle Level Student Leadership Summit for grades six through eight; and

(12) $500,000 for teaching and learning in secondary mathematics.

Your Committee expressed concerns regarding the current status of surfing as a club sport that is not league-sanctioned in other jurisdictions statewide. For surfing to become an interscholastic sport, fiscal support is needed to provide salaries for coaches. Additionally, your Committee expressed concerns regarding the safety of student-athletes interested in surfing, given the hazardous conditions of the surfing environment. Additional information regarding the time and location of competitions, potential judges, and safeguards for students is also unclear at this time. Further, your Committee suggests examining the Maui Interscholastic League's model for surfing as an interscholastic sport to determine how to incorporate surfing as a competitive sport within the Department of Education. Your Committee therefore requests these issues also be examined further by subsequent committees.

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 H.B. No. 500, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 500, H.D. 1, 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