STAND. COM. REP. NO. 23-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 1893

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1893 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Clarify that public charter school teachers are eligible for incentives under the Teacher National Board Certification Incentive Program; and

(2) Increase the bonus per year for each public school teacher and public charter school teacher who maintains a national board certification from $5,000 to $10,000.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education; State Public Charter School Commission; Hawaiʻi Teacher Standards Board; Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association; and five individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Office of Collective Bargaining.

Your Committee finds that teachers are the most important element in 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 notes that the Teacher National Board Certification Incentive Program was established to recognize and support exemplary teaching practice by supporting public school teachers who have achieved national board certification under the Program. Your Committee recognizes that public charter school teachers are just as deserving of a bonus for maintaining this certification as other public school teachers. Your Committee believes that continuing to incentivize teachers, including public charter school 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 changing the effective date to July 1, 3000.

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. 1893, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1893, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Labor.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair