STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2337

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2877

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2877 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Department of Education to establish a one‑year Student-Authored Book Publication Pilot Program for fifth graders at Kalihi public elementary schools;

(2) Require a report to the Legislature; and

(3) Appropriate funds.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Princess Miriam K. Likelike Elementary School, Teach for America Hawaiʻi, HawaiiKidsCAN, and eight individuals.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education.

Your Committee finds that innovative measures to elevate local voices and deepen connections to family and community offer unique opportunities to advance the State's attendance and literacy objectives in public education. As demonstrated by successful programs in schools in the County of Kauai, self‑authored publishing projects empower students to strengthen literacy and affirm their cultural identities. Promoting engaging opportunities to apply critical skillsets, such as research, writing, and self-expression, improves outcomes for students beyond the classroom. This measure fosters students' pride in their identities and communities while supporting literacy efforts.

Your Committee acknowledges the testimony of Princess Miriam K. Likelike Elementary School that the pilot program should be integrated into the existing fifth grade curricula of participating schools, rather than being implemented as a stand‑alone program, to provide the flexibility necessary for teachers to collaborate and plan how best to fit the project into existing academic schedules. Your Committee further notes that the pilot program could then serve as a capstone project within the existing curricula. Therefore, amendments to this measure are necessary to address this matter.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring the pilot program to be integrated into the existing grade five curricula of participating schools as a capstone; and

(2) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment 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 S.B. No. 2877, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2877, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair