SCR157

WHEREAS, the Department of Education has two primary responsibilities for the facilities of the State's public schools: repair and maintenance and capital improvement projects; and

WHEREAS, the condition of the State's school facilities support the learning and development of Hawaii's keiki; and

WHEREAS, the myriad of needs for new buildings; repair and maintenance of aging buildings; and upgrading and improving safety, health, and technology infrastructure are the responsibility of the Department of Education's Office of Facilities and Operations; and

WHEREAS, effective and timely project execution is expected by the schools but has been a challenge due to the length of time from project appropriation to project completion; and

WHEREAS, the timely execution of projects requires appropriate collaboration between various stakeholders, including government officials and agencies, school administrators, facility managers and staff, consultants, and contractors; and

WHEREAS, timely project execution is dependent on a number of factors beyond the adequate scoping of projects and costs such as the allotment release process; permitting approvals; and procurement, project management, and construction management; and

WHEREAS, the Office of Facilities and Operations is responsible for prioritizing projects based on need, managing resources, and competing priorities and coordinating with school administration to execute the projects expeditiously for the State's public schools; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2024, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Auditor is requested to conduct an audit of the capital improvement program, including repair and maintenance, of the Department of Education; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the audit is requested to include but not be limited to the challenges faced by the Department of Education in timely completion of projects, from appropriation to allotment release; and project planning, design, and construction completion; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Auditor is requested to include an analysis of the adequacy of the Department of Education's staffing capacity and other resources to address the volume of capital improvement and repair and maintenance projects; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Auditor is requested to consider the Department of Education's procedures in:

(1) Assessment and planning, including prioritizing projects based on need and a comprehensive plan for capital improvement projects;

(2) Budgeting to fund identified priorities; and

(3) Implementation, including procurement of contractors and materials; meeting with schools and consultants; and overseeing and monitoring the project's progress to completion; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the audit is requested to include, based on a review of the aforementioned departmental procedures, an analysis comparing policies and procedures against other state governmental agencies and county public works functions to recommend best practices and efficiencies that can be considered by the Department of Education; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Auditor is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations for improving the Department of Education's program for capital improvement and repair and maintenance of the State's public schools, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2025; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Auditor, Chairperson of the Board of Education, Superintendent of Education, and Director of Budget and Finance.

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

DOE; Auditor; Capital Improvement Projects; Repair and Maintenance; Audit

THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	157
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024
STATE OF HAWAII