STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3435

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.R. No. 178

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 Higher Education, to which was referred S.R. No. 178 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION URGING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A BACCALAUREATE DEGREE PROGRAM IN EDUCATION WITH AN ONLINE OPTION AT LEEWARD COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO ADDRESS THE EDUCATIONAL NEEDS OF WORKING ADULTS IN ALL COUNTIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the development of a baccalaureate degree program in education with an online option at Leeward Community College to address the educational needs of working adults in all counties.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawaiʻi System and one individual.

Your Committee finds that there is a growing demand for online educational programs to accommodate working adults who aspire to become teachers. While all counties face unique challenges in recruiting and retaining qualified educators, there is a need for more baccalaureate degree programs at the University of Hawaii Community Colleges to expand access to educational opportunities statewide and address the ongoing chronic teacher shortage. Presently, the University of Hawaii Leeward Community College's accreditation allows the college to offer up to two applied baccalaureate degree programs. As teacher education programs at Leeward Community College are already offered statewide through the Internet and include upper division curriculum, expanding access to teacher pathways through new programs can incentivize interested students to enroll. Accordingly, this measure expands access to higher education for prospective teachers while addressing the State's chronic teacher shortage.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 178, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 178, S.D. 1.

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

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DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair