STAND. COM. REP. NO. 40-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 1614

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1614 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TEACHERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Increase the bonus for all teachers who achieve and maintain national board certification to $15,000; and

(2) Appropriate funds for the bonus increase.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State Public Charter School Commission; Hawaiʻi Teacher Standards Board; Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association; Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi; Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi Education Caucus; Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi Labor Caucus; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received testimony in support of the intent of this measure from the Executive Office on Early Learning. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Office of Collective Bargaining. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education.

Your Committee finds that teachers are the most important component facilitating student learning. Your Committee further finds that, according to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, research shows that students of board‑certified teachers learn more than their peers who are taught by teachers who are not board certified. The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification is the highest professional distinction available in education for teachers. Your Committee believes that continuing to incentivize teachers to obtain and maintain this certification requires adjusting the bonus for board certification to account for increases in the State's cost of living.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000; and

(2) 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. 1614, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1614, 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