STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3118

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2683

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. 2683, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ACCESS TO LEARNING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to repeal the sunset date for the exemption of laboratory school programs of the College of Hawaiian Language at the University of Hawaii at Hilo from state English-medium standards, assessments, performance ratings, staff qualifications, and staff training requirements.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawaiʻi System, Executive Office on Early Learning, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Hui for Excellence in Education, ʻAha Pūnana Leo, Ke Kula ʻO Nāwahīokalaniʻōpuʻu, Laboratory Public Charter School, Hawaiʻi Children's Action Network Speaks!, Kupuna for the Moʻopuna, and forty-one individuals.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that growing demand and support for Hawaiian language medium education has allowed for the development of pedagogical and professional development tools for educators. Presently, the College of Hawaiian Language at the University of Hawaii at Hilo works in partnership with Aha Punana Leo to develop performance standards and tools for both students and educators in Hawaiian language medium classrooms. However, recruitment qualifications, performance evaluations, and pedagogical methods utilized in English-medium education may not adequately support the needs of Hawaiian language medium education. Therefore, this measure retains requirements for performance standards and assessments that align with the unique pedagogical needs of Hawaiian language medium schools.

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 Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2683, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2683, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

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

________________________________

MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair