STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3450

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.R. No. 173

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Education and Higher Education, to which was referred S.R. No. 173 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII COMMUNITY COLLEGES, AND HAWAII P-20 PARTNERSHIPS FOR EDUCATION TO DEVELOP CLEAR PATHWAYS FOR STUDENTS IN DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION ACADEMIES TO SEAMLESSLY CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION IN CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS AT UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII COMMUNITY COLLEGES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the Department of Education, University of Hawaii Community Colleges, and Hawaii P-20 Partnerships for Education to develop clear pathways for students in Department of Education career and technical education academies to seamlessly continue their education in career and technical education programs at University of Hawaii Community Colleges.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawaiʻi System and one individual.

Your Committees find that career and technical education programs play an important role in the State's economy by providing critical training to the State's labor force. Presently, the Department of Education offers students up to thirteen broad continuing and technical education pathways that provide students with vital skills needed to attain skilled, high-wage careers in high-demand occupational fields. The University of Hawaii also offers a wide array of continuing and technical education pathways for community college students. However, despite their mandates to provide career and technical education, the University of Hawaii and Department of Education do not provide a seamless transition for students to continue their education after high school graduation. Therefore, this measure urges the development of matriculation pathways to ensure continuity of academic opportunities for all career and technical education students.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Higher Education that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 173 and recommend its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Higher Education,

________________________________ DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair

________________________________ MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair