HB 904: BOE; State Public Charter School Commission; Public Charter Schools; Annual Report; Review

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO CHARTER SCHOOLS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  The purpose of this Act is to:

     (1)  Require the state public charter school commission, rather than the board of education, to complete an annual report of the State's public charter schools; and

     (2)  Require the board of education to review and approve the commission's annual report before submission to the governor, legislature, and the public.

     SECTION 2.  Section 302D-21, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§302D-21  Annual [board] commission report.  [No later than the opening day of each regular session of the legislature, the board] (a)  The commission shall issue to the governor, the legislature, and the public, an annual report on the State's public charter schools, drawing from the annual reports submitted by every authorizer, as well as any additional relevant data compiled by the [board,] commission, for the school year ending in the preceding calendar year.  The annual report shall include:

     (1)  The [board's] commission's assessment of the successes, challenges, and areas for improvement in meeting the purposes of this chapter, including the [board's] commission's assessment of the sufficiency of funding for public charter schools, and any suggested changes in state law or policy necessary to strengthen the State's public charter schools;

     (2)  A line-item breakdown of all federal funds received by the department and distributed to authorizers;

     (3)  Any concerns regarding equity and recommendations to improve access to and distribution of federal funds to public charter schools;

     (4)  A summary of the criteria used by the charter school facilities funding working group, established pursuant to section 302D-29.5, in allocating facilities funding;

     (5)  A detailed breakdown of the allocation of funding through general funds and bond funds;

     (6)  A detailed list of the projects funded by general funds and bond funds;

     (7)  The status of funding for projects previously awarded; and

     (8)  A discussion of all board policies adopted in the previous year, including a detailed explanation as to whether each policy is or is not applicable to charter schools.

     (b)  No later than the opening day of each regular session of the legislature, the commission shall submit its report to the governor, legislature, and the public; provided that the commission shall first submit the report to the board, who shall review and approve the commission's report before the report is submitted to the governor, legislature, and the public."

     SECTION 3.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 3000.

Report Title:

BOE; State Public Charter School Commission; Public Charter Schools; Annual Report; Review

Description:

Requires the State Public Charter School Commission to submit an annual report on public charter schools before the opening day of each Regular Session of the Legislature.  Requires the Board of Education to review and approve the annual report before the report is issued to the Governor, Legislature, and the public.  Takes effect 7/1/3000.  (SD1)

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO CHARTER SCHOOLS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the state public charter school commission, as the State's only charter school authorizer, is required to submit a comprehensive annual report to the legislature that details the items for which the board of education is also required to report on.

     The purpose of this Act is to eliminate duplicative reporting requirements by repealing the requirement for the board of education to annually report to the legislature, governor, and the public on public charter schools.

     SECTION 2.  Section 302D-21, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is repealed.

     ["§302D-21  Annual board report.  No later than the opening day of each regular session of the legislature, the board shall issue to the governor, the legislature, and the public, an annual report on the State's public charter schools, drawing from the annual reports submitted by every authorizer, as well as any additional relevant data compiled by the board, for the school year ending in the preceding calendar year.  The annual report shall include:

     (1)  The board's assessment of the successes, challenges, and areas for improvement in meeting the purposes of this chapter, including the board's assessment of the sufficiency of funding for public charter schools, and any suggested changes in state law or policy necessary to strengthen the State's public charter schools;

     (2)  A line-item breakdown of all federal funds received by the department and distributed to authorizers;

     (3)  Any concerns regarding equity and recommendations to improve access to and distribution of federal funds to public charter schools;

     (4)  A summary of the criteria used by the charter school facilities funding working group, established pursuant to section 302D-29.5, in allocating facilities funding;

     (5)  A detailed breakdown of the allocation of funding through general funds and bond funds;

     (6)  A detailed list of the projects funded by general funds and bond funds;

     (7)  The status of funding for projects previously awarded; and

     (8)  A discussion of all board policies adopted in the previous year, including a detailed explanation as to whether each policy is or is not applicable to charter schools."]

     SECTION 3.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 3000.

Report Title:

Board of Education; Public Charter Schools; Annual Report; Repeal

Description:

Repeals the requirement for the Board of Education to annually report to the Legislature, Governor, and the public on public charter schools.  Effective 7/1/3000.  (HD1)

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to charter schools.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  Section 302D-21, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is repealed.

     ["§302D-21  Annual board report.  No later than the opening day of each regular session of the legislature, the board shall issue to the governor, the legislature, and the public, an annual report on the State's public charter schools, drawing from the annual reports submitted by every authorizer, as well as any additional relevant data compiled by the board, for the school year ending in the preceding calendar year.  The annual report shall include:

     (1)  The board's assessment of the successes, challenges, and areas for improvement in meeting the purposes of this chapter, including the board's assessment of the sufficiency of funding for public charter schools, and any suggested changes in state law or policy necessary to strengthen the State's public charter schools;

     (2)  A line-item breakdown of all federal funds received by the department and distributed to authorizers;

     (3)  Any concerns regarding equity and recommendations to improve access to and distribution of federal funds to public charter schools;

     (4)  A summary of the criteria used by the charter school facilities funding working group, established pursuant to section 302D-29.5, in allocating facilities funding;

     (5)  A detailed breakdown of the allocation of funding through general funds and bond funds;

     (6)  A detailed list of the projects funded by general funds and bond funds;

     (7)  The status of funding for projects previously awarded; and

     (8)  A discussion of all board policies adopted in the previous year, including a detailed explanation as to whether each policy is or is not applicable to charter schools."]

     SECTION 2.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Report Title:

Board of Education; Public Charter Schools; Annual Report; Repeal

Description:

Repeals the requirement for the Board of Education to annually report to the Legislature, Governor, and the public on public charter schools.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1489

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 904

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 904, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHARTER SCHOOLS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to repeal the requirement for the Board of Education to annually report to the Legislature, Governor, and the public on public charter schools.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Board of Education.

     Your Committee received comments on this measure from the State Public Charter School Commission.

     Your Committee finds that the State Public Charter School Commission (Commission) oversees the operations of public charter schools statewide.  However, the Commission is required to report annually on items that the Board of Education also has a statutory mandate to report to the Legislature.  Therefore, this measure, in its current form, would repeal duplicative reporting requirements to effectively streamline operations for the Commission and the Board of Education.

     Your Committee notes, however, that while the existing reporting process is duplicative of the work completed by the Board of Education and the Commission, there is a continued need for an annual report submitted to the Legislature, Governor, and the public to ensure transparency regarding the Commission's operations.  According to the Board of Education and the Commission at your Committee's public hearing on this measure, both agencies are amenable to a modified reporting process that will empower the Board of Education to be made aware of charter school operations while ensuring timely completion of the report by the Commission.  Therefore, amendments to this measure are necessary to reflect this consensus language.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Restoring existing statutory language requiring an annual report by the Board of Education;

     (2)  Changing references from "board" to "commission" to require the State Public Charter School Commission to complete the annual report;

     (3)  Inserting language that requires the Board of Education to review and approve the State Public Charter School Commission's annual report before submitting the report to the Governor, Legislature, and the public;

     (4)  Amending section 1 to reflect its amended purpose; and

     (5)  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 Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 904, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 904, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

STAND. COM. REP. NO.  854

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2025

RE:   H.B. No. 904

      H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 904, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHARTER SCHOOLS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to repeal the requirement for the Board of Education to annually report to the Legislature, Governor, and public on public charter schools.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Board of Education and one individual.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 904, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

STAND. COM. REP. NO.  562

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2025

RE:   H.B. No. 904

      H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 904 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHARTER SCHOOLS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to repeal the requirement for the Board of Education to annually report to the Legislature, Governor, and the public on public charter schools.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Board of Education.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from Waiʻalae Elementary Public Charter School; Hawaii Public Charter Schools Network; and one individual.

     Your Committee finds that the State Public Charter School Commission is required to submit a comprehensive annual report to the Legislature that details the items the Board of Education is also required to report on.  Your Committee further finds that this measure will eliminate duplicative reporting requirements between the State Public Charter School Commission and Board of Education.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Inserting a preamble;

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

     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. 904, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 904, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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