STAND. COM. REP. NO.
Honolulu, Hawaii
APR 0 3 2024
RE: S.R. No. 178
S. D. 1
Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi
President of the Senate
Thirty-Second State Legislature
Regular Session of 2024
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred
S.R. No. 178 entitled:
"SENATE RESOLUTION URGING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A BACCALAUREATE
DEGREE PROGRAM IN EDUCATION WITH AN ONLINE OPTION AT LEEWARD
COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO ADDRESS THE EDUCATIONAL NEEDS OF WORKING
ADULTS IN ALL COUNTIES,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the
development of a baccalaureate degree program in education with an
online option at Leeward Community College to address the
educational needs of working adults in all counties.
Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure
from the University of Hawai‘i System and one individual.
Your Committee finds that there is a growing demand for
online educational programs to accommodate working adults who
aspire to become teachers. While all counties face unique
challenges in recruiting and retaining qualified educators, there
is a need for more baccalaureate degree programs at the University
of Hawaii Community Colleges to expand access to educational
opportunities statewide and address the ongoing chronic teacher
shortage. Presently, the University of Hawaii Leeward Community
College's accreditation allows the college to offer up to two
applied baccalaureate degree programs. As teacher education
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programs at Leeward Community College are already offered
statewide through the Internet and include upper division
curriculum, expanding access to teacher pathways through new
programs can incentivize interested students to enroll.
Accordingly, this measure expands access to higher education for
prospective teachers while addressing the State's chronic teacher
shortage.
Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical,
nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and
consistency.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report,
your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R.
No. 178, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the
form attached hereto as S.R. No. 178, S.D. 1.
Respectfully submitted on
behalf of the members of the
Committee on Higher Education,
DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair
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 The Senate
Thirty-Second Legislature
State of Hawai‘i
Record of Votes
Committee on Higher Education
HRE
Bill / Resolution No.:* Committee Referral: Date:
SR- \-i^ RR.B
__ The Committee is reconsidering its previous decision on this measure.
If so, then the previous decision was to:___________________________________
The Recommendation is:
Pass, unamended / Pass, with amendments __ Hold __ Recommit
2312 2311_______________ 2310________ 2313
Members Aye Aye (WR) Nay Excused
KIM. Donna Mercado (C)
KIDANI, Michelle N. (VC)
FUKUNAGA, Carol
HASHIMOTO. Troy N.
FEVELLA. Kurt
TOTAL
Recommendation: -----
HT Adopted __ Not Adopted
Chair’s or Designee’s Signature: \
Distribution: Original Yellow Pink Goldenrod
File with Committee Report Clerk's Office Drafting Agency Committee File Copy
*Only one measure per Record of Votes
Revised: 12/27/23