STAND. COM. REP. NO. 335

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 1345

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1345 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a three-year pilot program within the State Public Charter School Commission to provide an educational pathway for teacher licensure or staff certification for cultural practitioners.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Ke Ana La‘ahana Public Charter School and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the State Public Charter School Commission and Kanu o ka Aina Learning Ohana.

Your Committee finds that there is a lack of culturally relevant teacher education programs and teachers who have been trained as cultural practitioners and who lack a means of appropriate licensure. Your Committee further finds that establishing an alternate pathway for individuals to become teachers that integrates cultural expertise and traditional curriculum with core teaching strategies will prepare these individuals for meeting the cultural needs of students in schools.

Your Committee notes that the State Public Charter School Commission is primarily the authorizer of public charter schools and does not have the capacity nor the expertise to administer the pilot program established by this measure. Your Committee finds that the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board has jurisdiction and authority to create the certification pathway proposed by this measure. Your Committee further finds that the Kaho‘iwai Center for Adult Teaching and Learning currently offers culturally relevant teacher education programs that produce graduates who can teach effectively in Native Hawaiian-focused charter schools and other sites with a significant number of Native Hawaiian children. A collaboration with the Kaho‘iwai Center for Adult Teaching and Learning for the pilot program would be of great benefit for pilot program participants in furthering their cultural education.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board to implement the pilot program, rather than establishing the pilot program within the State Public Charter School Commission;

(2) Requiring the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board to collaborate with the Kaho‘iwai Center for Adult Teaching and Learning to license or certify teachers through the pilot program;

(3) Specifying that the pilot program is for five years;

(4) Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount;

(5) Specifying that the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board, rather than the State Public Charter School Commission, shall expend the funds appropriated for the implementation of the pilot program;

(6) Changing its effective date to June 30, 3000; and

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

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. 1345, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1345, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair