STAND.
COM. REP. NO. 284
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2023
RE: H.B. No. 843
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. 843 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to:
(1) Authorize remote schools to receive supplemental categorical funding, subject to legislative appropriations, to support instructional and support staff; and
(2) Appropriate funds for remote schools categorical funding.
Your Committee finds that the Reinventing Education Act of 2004, established pursuant to Act 51, Session Laws of Hawaii 2004, established a weighted student formula to allocate funds to schools according to the different costs of educating students with varying needs with the intention of equitable distribution of funds. However, the weighted student formula has placed small, remote schools at a disadvantage.
Your Committee further finds that in the case of Hana High and Elementary School, the budgetary shortfall has resulted in the loss of several well-qualified teachers and has threatened the school's ability to offer minimum course requirements for students. For students to take the requisite courses for graduation, those students will have to endure a nearly forty-mile, two-hour drive to the next closest public high school, King Kekaulike High School. This measure ensures that remote schools are funded to retain the minimal personnel and resources necessary to allow students to graduate.
Your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Amending the definition of "remote school" to:
(A) Include any Department of Education public school, rather than only public high schools, who meet the requirements of this measure; and
(B) Removing the requirement for a public school to be located at least a one-hour drive away from the next nearest public high school;
(2) Changing its effective date to June 30, 3000; and
(3) 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. 843, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 843, 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 |
|
|
|
|