STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3512

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 203

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.C.R. No. 203 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THIS BODY TO ESTABLISH A PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL WORKING GROUP TO EXAMINE THE SUPPORT SYSTEMS AVAILABLE TO STATE PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS AND DETERMINE WHETHER THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A CENTRALIZED PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL DISTRICT OR SIMILAR SERVICE COOPERATIVE WOULD PROVIDE IMPROVED SUPPORT TO PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the Legislature to establish a Public Charter School Working Group to examine the support systems available to state public charter schools and determine whether the establishment of a centralized public charter school district or similar service cooperative would provide improved support to public charter schools.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State Public Charter School Commission, Hawaii Public Charter Schools Network, HawaiiKidsCAN, Hawaii Academy of Arts & Science Public Charter School, Connections Public Charter School, and six individuals.

Your Committee finds that public charter schools in the State serve thousands of students through innovative, community-driven models but continue to face systemic operational hurdles that undermine their core educational mission. A centralized public charter school district or cooperative structure would allow public charter schools to leverage federal grant awards more effectively and provide coordinated administrative support. This measure makes a critical contribution to the State's public charter schools by urging the establishment of a working group to evaluate the potential benefits of a centralized public charter school district.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 203 and recommends its adoption.

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

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DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair