House Standing Committee on Education

Hey, Good afternoon everybody. This is York Committee on Education. Today's date is the February. February 4th and it is 2pm and we are in conference room 309 in your state capital. Going to take one Bill out of order today. So we will start with HB 627. This is with regards to the Department of Education and School Safety.

First up, we have DOE offering testimony support.

Hi, good afternoon. Chair Woodson, Vice Chair La Chica, Dean Uchida Deputy Superintendent with DOE. The Department stands on this written testimony in support of this bill. I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Thank you for being here. Next, we have the Department of Law Enforcement offering testimony and support. We have Hawaii Fire Department in support. We have HSTA offering testimony and support.

Aloha Chair and Vice Chair, Sarah Millianta-Laffin for HSTA. We stand on a written testimony.

Thank you. We have two individuals both providing testimony support. One via Zoom. Kylie.

Good morning, Chair Member. I am a strong supporter of this bill because school safety is is a top priority. In a DOE school sense. Let me share a little story. I graduated from Marissa Pilch high school in 2012. In 2014, there was a mass shooting at my school. One of the students shot five people.

In the school cafeteria. It will be more possible if they. Have more school resource officer in school, in a school, in a high school. Or middle school setting. So to keep our school safe. Thankfulness to my testimony. Please let me know if you have any questions you may have. Thank you.

Thank you so much for your testimony. That's all I have on my list. Is there anyone else? HB627C9 Members. Are there any questions?

Vice Chair for the Department Deputy, if you can just elaborate, since this is a new funding request, you can elaborate on what the positions would entail.

You know how the Department is expanding on security and how does this differ based on what is currently in your recurring budget for, you know, statewide security like disaster preparedness and all those other existing contracts that you currently have?

Sure, they're good question. Representative. Actually these two positions and additional funding was part of our original budget request and the Governor took it out and just gave us like $4 million for the nighttime security. So we're asking for two positions.

One of them is the Targeted Violence Prevention and Threat Assessment Program Manager and the other one is going to focus on security for technology. So there's two different areas that we want to focus on going forward. We were just asking for the positions as well as the funding for those two positions. There.

In addition to what we already have. Right now, the staff mainly is focusing on vulnerability assessments at each set of schools. I think we go every three years and update assessments. We are getting more active in the fire suppression proactive measures in fire.

We're doing some security camera research to figure out how we can provide better security in other schools, working with Department of Law Enforcement. And we're doing some experimental things with some panic buttons and things to see if the faculty and staff can have these in case of emergency or fires or something.

So it's actually a growing program because safety and security is becoming a very big issue now, especially with all the climate change issues have been happening with fires.

Director, does this thing. zero, sorry. Does this also include threats to, like, data privacy, like online. Looking at your online. Right. That's going to be your network?

Yeah. Our security Technology manager, the position we're asking for.

Thank you. Thank you, Chair.

Thank you. Vice Chair Members, any other questions?

A quick question for doe. Where are you folks with your active shooter prevention training?

I know we're conducting training. I can get you the statistics on how many we train and how many we can do this year. I can get back to you on that.

All right. Please do. Thank you. And for the testifier, Kylie, we can barely hear you, but we'll try to power through.

Go ahead.

You said that you experienced this in, in real life. Was that. That wasn't in Hawaii, though, right?

It was in Washington state schools. In my high school, in Maritza Patrick High School. It happened in school cafeteria. This one, the student brought a gun. And it shot nationwide.

Okay. And what was the result of that? What happened in that case? Because we're having trouble hearing you, so I, I didn't even hear what high school you said you went to.

I was. It was in Marisol Pilchick High School. It was located north of. North of Seattle.

Okay. Alright. Thank you so much. Member, any other questions?

Thank you.

Thank you so much. Seeing none. We're going to move on to the next bill, HB249. This is with regards to EOEL and family child interaction learning programs. And first up, we're going to have Board Chair Yamashita, Early Learning Board in support via Zoom.

Aloha, Chair Woodson and Vice Chair La Chica and members of the committee, mahalo for this opportunity- opportunity to testify. The Early Learning Board had approved a-a budget request from EOEL to fund- to fund family child interaction learning programs. And so we are fully in support of this bill.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Next we have EOEL offering testimony of support in person. Director.

Hi, Chair Woodson, Vice Chair La Chica and members of the committee. I'm Yuuko Arikawa-Cross, Director of the Executive Office on Early Learning. EOEL supports HB249. Currently we also allocate $800,000 per year for FCIL program contracts that we and we support this measure would which would expand state funding for FCIL programs.

We also appreciate the addition of infant and early childhood mental health provided that the appropriation covers the extended expanded scope. Thank you for the opportunity to testify.

Thank you. Next, we have Commit to Keiki in support in person.

Afternoon Chair, Vice Chair, appreciate the opportunity to support this testimony. My name is Jared Ellis with Commit to Keiki. We did submit written testimony in support. Of this measure and we'll stand on that. But I'd be happy to answer any questions.

Okay, thank you for being here. Next we have Early Childhood Action Strategies offering testimony and support.

Hello, I'm Christina Simmons for Early Childhood Action Strategy. I wanted to just add a little bit to the information from what Yuuko just said. The Family Child Interaction Learning Programs are also trauma informed programs that meet the criteria of the Governor's Trauma Informed Task Force recommendations.

They're evidence based and they fulfill the prevention recommendations coming out of Malama Ohana's work group to improve the child welfare system. They also kind of bridged the divide between social services and education, improving outcomes in both, which is pretty cool and they reflect local values within the state's budget.

So thank you so much for allowing us the opportunity.

Thank you for being here. Thank you for your testimony. Next, we have Partners and Development Foundation offering testimony support in person.

Aloha mai kakou. Thank you for letting me share. My name is Brittany Pescaya. I'm the Project Director of Na Pono No Na Ohana, a program of partners and development foundation.

We've been providing FCIL family child interaction learning in Waimanalo for over 24 years and serving keiki and we currently have a classroom at Kyllo Elementary with contract of Executive Office of Early Learning. I'm here to speak on behalf of the ohana we serve the keiki and the community of Waimanalo of why FCIL is so important.

I'd like to share that it is firsthand very healing and nurturing for the families. Bringing keiki into the world is very difficult, adding to the burdensome of the many challenges that families face already, especially the people of Hawaii. And I wanted sorry to share a testimony.

We had a strategic planning meeting with families and caregivers sharing What Na Pono has meant to them. Our program is called Na Pono and one of the parents, her name is Kaipo, has been a part of our program for 17 years with six keiki in Family Child Interaction Learning program.

And it was a very overwhelming meeting of a lot of emotion for a lot of these parents, moms, grandmas, because their whole families included grandma, grandma, auntie, uncle. It's not just mom and keiki. Through this program she was able to learn how to become a mom.

She was a high school dropout and just had a newborn and so just beginning probably I think it was in 2005 that she started. It was healing for her and fast forwarding throughout her time at Na Pono. She finished her high school diploma,

with our encouragement. She got her bachelor's degree and her last keiki Kilohana, who just finished last year, struggled, couldn't speak, had a really hard time with learning disabilities. And through Na Pono she was able to get that referrals into a special ed classroom. So today she is the community resource coordinator at Blanch Pope Elementary.

And that's just one of the many, many, many stories of all these families that entrust us with their keiki, with their ohana to provide this nurturing and healing of FCIL. So mahalo for letting me share.

Thank you for sharing your story. We appreciate it. Next we have. What do we have? We have people- PATCH, People Attentive to Children in support. We have consultant Trauma Informed Restorative, Restorative Justice consultant in support. I said that right. We have Keiki Oki, Keiki O Ka Aina, no caffeine in support. We have Hawaii Children's Action Network Speaks in support.

And we have 22 individuals all offering testimony in support. Anyone else? Seeing none. Members are there any questions? HB249. Vice Chair go ahead.

EOEL please. Hi Director. Thank you so much for continuing to request for support for this program. How many programs does the current funding currently support and do we have FCIL programs in all on all islands?

So our funding is not the only funding for FCIL programs, but we are one entity that does support. So we support four with our 800,000. And yes, there are FCILs on... I would say most, not all.

So there are FCILs on most islands, but even if they are on islands, there are areas that are untouched by FCILs yet.

And was this part of the department request? Governor's request.

So EOEL did request expansion for FCILs. It was not included in the Governor's budget request.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Have a quick question for you please. And so the 800K. Is that the request, the funding request or how much are you requesting in a dollar amount?

Oh, so for this current. So EOEL's request was an additional 800,000. That was not supported in the Governor's budget request. This is a different measure that also includes infant early childhood mental health services.

So the request is 800,000 each fiscal year.

Not for this bill. This bill has a different funding request.

If you can just let me know by the time we.

We dm. Yes. Okay. Thank you so much. Director. Members, any other questions? Okay, seeing none. Moving on to the next bill, we have HB 429. This is with regards to the Executive Office of Early Learning and pre-k expansion. First we have Lieutenant Governor Luke offering testimony support in person.

Yes. I'm so sick.

Good afternoon, Chair, Vice Chair and Members of the Committee. Thanks to the Legislature's commitment to expand preschool opportunities for our Keiki across the street across the state. This is a continuation of that effort. And thanks to you folks.

You know, our Ready Keiki initiative, after we launched it two years ago, we were able to successfully open over 50 classrooms. And mahalo to all of you folks because two of those classrooms for the first time have been Hawaiian immersion classrooms. We were able to open as far as Naalehu.

And thanks to Representative Capella and many of you for visiting some of these classrooms. As we open more, we're expected to through this funding request, we're planning to open another 50 across the state. And you know, mahalo to all the participating legislators. You know, you've been so generous with your time.

And as we open in your neighborhood, we're planning to reach out to you folks so you can go and visit these children.

I mean, some of you folks who have already visited these children, you know, the unfortunate reality is our kindergarten assessment numbers are still struggling when it comes to our kindergarten readiness and the efforts and the commitment that you folks are putting in to getting kids ready for kindergarten and allowing options for our working families to have their kids in a safe and learning and nurturing environment greatly help our working families to go back to work.

So thank you again. And also lastly, mahalo to the chair, mahalo to the Members for adopting this as a legislative priority as well. Mahalo.

Thank you, Lieutenant Governor. Thank you for your continued leadership in this space. Next we have EOEL and support in person.

Chair Woodson, Vice Chair La Chica, Members of the Committee, Yuko Arikoa Cross, Director of the Executive Office on Early Learning. We strongly support HB 429. And we thank the House Majority Caucus for introducing this Bill. YOEO works in partnership with the Hawaii State Department of Education to currently administer 72 public pre-k classrooms across 74 campuses statewide.

The funding and positions in this Bill will allow EOL to add an additional 50 classrooms over the next two years and continue our trajectory of growth initiated by the Lieutenant Governor's Ready Kiki initiative. We also want to note that the funding in this Bill was included in the governor's biennium budget request.

We appreciate the Legislature's continued investment in our youngest keiki and their Ohana and respectfully request your support of this funding. Thank you.

Thank you, Director for being here. Next, we have DHS offering testimony support not present. We have HSTA offering testimony and support in person.

Aloha Chair and Vice Chair Sarah Milianta Laffen for the Hawaii State Teachers Association. We were really excited to see this Bill. Here's the secret teachers. Well, one, we stand on our written testimony, but also we can tell who's attended pre-k. You can tell as a teacher who's had that early support.

As a former third grade teacher, it really made a big difference to kids. And then as a teacher, Mom, I know I want pre-k for my one year old, but as a public school teacher, I can't afford to pay for pre-k. I can barely afford the 1500amonth for infant care.

So knowing this is out there is huge. So it helps with care, it helps with education. We're so excited to see this. Please support.

Thank you so much. You can tell if they attend pre-k. That's salient. I'm a teacher. Thank you so much. We have Kamehameha Schools offering testimony support. White Al. Al, please come up.

I am not Waiale Dr. Waialale Arroyo, but I'm here on her behalf to offer our testimony and support. According to recent figures, only about 41.4% of Native Hawaiian children attend preschool and one in two are living below the Alice threshold. The continued expansion ensures that all Kiki, including Native Hawaiians, have access to early. Learning in their community.

Such access is important to ensure the. Readiness of our keiki to enter kindergarten. While lessening the financial burden on families. There is no success without preparation.

Thank you for your testimony. Next we have Carol Lind offering testimony support. That's all I have. Anyone else? HB 429 Members. Questions? I have some questions for EOEL. Thank you again, Director, for being here.

So would you agree that near the National Institute for Early Education and Research is one of our Nation's leading research entities that prescribe ECE policy.

Yes, you would agree with that.

Okay, so near releases a State of preschool yearbook that assesses the quality of pre-k classrooms across the country. In their assessment, they have a benchmark as they define it. These benchmarks are related to quality. How many benchmarks does Hawaii as a state achieve?

So currently Hawaii has achieved 10 out of 10. So both EOEL Public pre-k and also our charter Public pre-k.

So. We'Re at 10 still. How many other states have 10 currently.

As of the last benchmarking, according to those measures? I believe there are five.

Okay. Five states total in the country?

Yes.

Okay. Thank you so much. Thank you for your efforts. Thank you for all that you do. Ask LG to come up, please. Lieutenant Governor Luke. Lieutenant Governor, thank you for being here. You've been instrumental in helping push this initiative forward. You are the glue that holds all these efforts together.

Can you explain what your vision is as it relates to moving this pre-k expansion forward to the future and what do you see?

Yeah, you know, I mean I think first of all, thanks to Chair Woodson and thanks to division of the Legislature, this is not something that happened overnight. This was long awaited commitment by the Legislature to ensure that our 3 and 4 year olds have access to preschool.

As Kanoy said, the unfortunate reality in the State of Hawaii is basically less than 50% of our kids are going to preschool. So it's either the limited public options or the private options that cost in the upwards of $1500 a month and $1500 or even higher than that is equivalent to paying for somebody's rent.

And so the more the unfortunate reality for our working families and Low income families is they have to make a choice between whether they want quality care for their kids or they end up not going to work.

And this is these are the things that, you know, while we're dealing with cost of living issues, these are the things that impede somebody for being able to live and struggle in the State of Hawaii.

So thanks to all your efforts in prioritizing this and ensuring that our 3 and 4 year olds not just have a leg up when they go to kindergarten, but also allow for their families to have support system.

The other thing that I wanted to touch upon, the reason why this is really important for me is that over the years we have allowed for inclusion classrooms or we have not done enough for inclusion classroom, which is we provide preschool services for our special needs kids but not for regular gen education kids and to integrate special needs kids, gen ed kids allow for at the young age for them to learn from each other, for them to allow that acceptance, for them to have a place where you have inclusion classrooms.

And that's really important for development and that's really important for life experiences as well. And as we expand throughout the entire state, our concentration is really about providing equity.

And even in the build out, thanks to the Department of Education, thanks to SFA, thanks to EOEL, whether a child is in Naalehu or whether they are in Waianae or Nahi Enaena, the classrooms that are built is exactly the same.

Same equipment, same flooring, same bedding, so that each child, no matter where they are in the state, understands that they are special, regardless of whether they live in Honolulu or in the west side of here or west side of Maui.

And I think that's something message that is underlying in the Ready Kiki initiative that we want to portray not just in this program, but so that other programs can kind of mirror and say, hey, it is about equity. Doesn't matter where you are. It has to be the same throughout.

Thank you, lg. Thank you for pushing this effort along. Members, any other questions?

Hi, Lieutenant Governor, this is also something I'm very passionate about and very, very excited about. Can you share a little bit more about on the development and on the construction side? So I don't know if it was our last hearing or a couple hearings ago.

We've been talking a lot with the School Facilities Authority and kind of their involvement in getting, you know, some of these, you know, classrooms also like developed. Like, is there what are some of like the new models in getting? Because a lot of these communities like, can't wait for that to come into their communities.

And then also have you had an opportunity to also look at state buildings and other. Because I think we passed legislation last year to also allow for the use of state buildings as well.

No, very good question. You know, when we first started just two years ago, you know, as a former Legislator, I'm very impatient. So each and every one of you sitting in your very role, you know, state can't work fast enough. And you know, you, you expect us on the Executive side to be able to deliver.

If we give you, give you money, you better deliver something. And when I got elected as lieutenant govern, that was one thing that I carried into the Executive branch. And in 2022, you folks gave money to build out preschools.

And one of the things that we made sure is we not only build, but we come under budget and make sure that they are on time. So we ensure that in the first year we quickly built or refurbished 11 classroom very quickly.

And the reason for that is to be an example throughout that, you know, every State Department, if they follow this model of making sure that, you know, you look at the most expedient way, working together, working in collaboration, it can happen. So 11 in the first year, 44 in the second year.

But that's not enough because we can't build enough quickly. Because every year that we don't build enough, that's 3 and 4 year olds.

It's not a situation where we can say, zero, we'll come back to you two years from now, because two years from now these kids are going to be five or these kids are going to be six and we lost that opportunity.

So the more that we can push out on a yearly basis, the more kids we can take care of. So in working very, this is a situation where Department of Education, EOEL, SFA, there's a lot of planning that goes behind, you know, whatever. There's a lot of discussion and collaboration that happens.

And for them to even open one classroom, there is a lot of coordination with the school, with the community, you know, with a lot of the stakeholders. So, you know, they are putting in substantial amount of work.

But in addition to the refurbishing of current classroom that can be used quickly for pre-k classroom, they're already working on doing modulars. They're looking at one of the things that we talk to Representative Capella is are there state buildings that can accommodate child care facilities? Now that we have, we're also looking at House Bill 249.

It doesn't have to be EOEL. It could be family child interactive learning programs or we're even having discussion with the library systems about incorporating childcare facilities at the library.

So I think the Legislature in its vision and for foresight is working conjunction with us to look at how do you co locate programs, how do you co locate services so that we can maximize our resources. Thank you.

Thank you. Members, any other questions for LG or anyone else? Seeing none. Moving on to the next bill, we have HB439. This is with regards to J1 teacher licensure. First up, we have DOE offering testimony and support.

Good afternoon, Chair Woodson, Vice Chair La Chica. And Members of the Committee. Sean Bacon, Assistant Superintendent, speaking on behalf. Of the Department of Education. The Department stands on its written testimony in strong support of this measure and. We'Re available to answer any questions, questions. That you May have. Thank you. Thank you for being here.

Next we have he's office. Excuse me. We're going to call Hawaii Teacher Standards Board offering testimony in opposition in person.

Good afternoon, Chair Woodson. Vice Chair La Chica, Members of the Committee, My name is Felicia Villalobos. I'm the Executive Director of the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board. Speaking on behalf of the board, we submitted testimony in opposition to this bill.

I would like to add that while the Hawai'I Teacher Standards Board understands the intent behind the bill, it is important to clarify that HTSB's licenses are not place based.

The board has established rigorous standards to ensure that all educators are properly trained, qualified and capable of providing high quality instruction to all students regardless of where they completed their teacher preparation programs. These licensure requirements are applied equitably to all educators and is similar to other states and to other professions.

While we hold our students to high standards requiring them to perform well on various assessments, so should we not also require the educators who teach students in Hawaii meet the licensure requirements specific to our state?

HCSB'S current licensure process ensures that all educators meet the necessary qualifications to be effective in the classroom, whether they come from within the state or outside. I'm available to answer any questions you may have. Thank you.

Thank you for your testimony. Next we have AG's office offering testimony, offering comments in person.

Good afternoon, Chair Woodson. Vice Chair La Chica, Members. Ann Horuchi from the Department of the Attorney General. As we noted in our testimony, we've got first just a couple of technical comments. One is to replace the word educators with the word teacher as teacher is. A defined term in Chapter 302.

Also, with regard to the new paragraph 7 in the bill, we noted that. That paragraph combines two concepts establishing the. License and then setting forth conditions for the issuance of the license which might be confusing. Also, the bill didn't speak to any conditions that might be necessary for renewing the license.

So in our testimony we provided a revision that we think might make the statute a bit more understandable. And I'll remain available for questions. Thank you.

Thank you for being here. Next we have testimony from Kainalu Elementary School offering testimony in support. We have Oahu Filipino Community Council in support, Hawaii Friends of Civil Rights and support in person.

Dr. Abayani, thank you for being here. We have Kauai Basan Club offering testimony support here.

Hawaii Association of Filipino Educators in support, Hawaii Chamber of Commerce and support Hawaii Foreign Cultural Exchange Consultants LLC and support Hawaii Association of Filipino Educators and support King's Church and support. We have individuals. Rachel, if you're here and support via Zoom. Not here.

We also have Sherry. Sherry Mendoza via Zoom and support right here. Lisa, individual in support. We also have Pinky individual in support. These are individuals via Zoom. If you are here, just pop up and we'll. We'll get you in here in the fold. James. Oh, Pinky. Go ahead. Pinky. We can't hear you.

Hi. Can you hear me?

Yes, we can hear you now.

Okay. Hi. Hi. Chair of the House, Chair Watson, Vice Chair and Members of the Committee Chair. So I am Pinky Grace Francisco and I am a teacher at Keaau Middle School in the Puna District in Hawaii County. I am submitting my testimony in support of HP431 which seeks to create an international license.

So I am already in my sixth year of teaching in the Haido, but in 2016 I actually immigrated to Hawaii carrying my educational credentials and teaching experience.

And as part of the licensure process, I had my credentials evaluated by a recognized credentialing entity to determine their US Equivalency and which then I submitted to the Hawaii Teacher Standards Boards. And based on my qualifications and years of teaching experience, I was granted an HTSB standard license.

Getting a license was not that difficult yet during that year. And I also would like to attest, since I was a product of the Philippines, earning a Bachelor's degree in education is actually a rigorous four year process which includes 12 credits of intensive practice, teaching or clinical placement.

Additionally, master's degrees which are earned within four years are only pursued after earning a Bachelor's degree, then a Doctor's degree can be earned after.

Furthermore, the J1 visa program actually ensures that only highly qualified educators, many of whom are actually holding advanced degrees, are selected to teach in the United States, some of whom are even serving as educational specialists, master teachers, head teachers and school heads already in the Philippines before actually transitioning to becoming J1 teachers.

This educators also passed the Licensure examination for Teachers which is actually the Philippines equivalency of the practice exam and most of them also have civil service licenses. Well, the educator preparation and training of J1 teachers ensure their teaching pedagogy meets actually high standards.

Since I belong to the Hawaii county, we have actually the J1 teachers who are already actively engaged in community service in the Hawaii County.

Those employed in schools across Hawaii County, which I am part of, actually actively participate in local events such as the Barrio Fiesta, the Filipino and American celebration which happened in October 2024, the Sakada Day December 15, 2024 the Hawaii Association of Filipino Educators induction of officers in December 14th and like myself, who has contributed significantly to students, families, schools and the broader community during my first three years with the Hawaii Department of Education.

These international educators actually bring valuable skills and special and perspectives. And by recognizing their expertise and providing greater opportunities, we could actually unlock even more impactful initiatives and projects. Right? And additionally there are a bunch of research showing the positive impact of teachers teaching students with similar ethnic background in terms of attendance, behavior and statewide assessments.

There was not so much specific to Hawaii, but with the existence of our teachers now we can always do similar research about how impactful same race teacher with academic achievement, behavior and attendance. This legislation is actually crucial for addressing Hawaii's chronic teacher shortage which is one of our problems currently.

While ensuring equitable recognition of international educators qualifications and experience and by requiring the HTSB to establish a provisional pathway for visiting international teachers, this bill will promote diversity in our schools which is an essential factor linked to improve student outcomes.

And for these reasons I respectfully urge the Legislature to pass House Bill 439 and doing so will help ensure that Hawaii students continue to receive high quality education from well prepared and highly qualified teachers. While of course reinforcing the state's commitment to to equity and equal opportunity for all.

Thank you so much for listening and for letting me provide my testimony.

Thank you for your testimony. Next we have James in person. Thank you for being here. We also have Douglas Boyer via Zoom. Are there any other ZOOM testifiers wanting to testify on this measure? Is there anyone on the audience wanting to testify?

HB439 Members, please note we have 280, 218 testifiers on this measure, all individualized, all 100% in support Members, Any questions?

Vice Chair, this question is for James. Hi wanted. I read your testimony and if you can just share with the Committee kind of and elaborate on what your experience has been. And from what I understand that there was a similar process that was in place prior.

Yes, thank you for the question. My name is James Urbaniak and I'm a Human Resource Officer with the Hawaii State Department of Education. I'm also a proud public school parent. My children attend school in Ewa Beach and I have the honor of being part of this program.

In 2019, as Pinky mentioned, there was already a pathway for licensure for international educators, teachers who were trained and prepared overseas who have US based equivalencies.

That's not something that the department or HTSB, the licensing board determines that's actually determined by independent foreign evaluation companies which both of us utilize to determine whether or not an educator meets those qualifications of understanding of basic skills, content knowledge, and professional practice. The experience of our J1 teachers has been incredible statewide. They love Hawaii.

Our parents, our community, they are really, truly embedding themselves within everything and really making a difference. They're providing that representation for those children who see them and say, you know, I could be an educator myself. I haven't really seen many Filipino educators as kids.

And they look to them and they say, maybe this is a pathway for me. These parents, they speak like my parents, my grandparents, they connect with our teachers and with our kids. And that really was part of our initial initiation of this program and why we started it was to provide more representation.

And we're so fortunate that we found incredible, I call it the American Idol of the Philippines. Educators who audition for this and we interview and we're really blessed to have them as part of our school district. But I will tell you that they are suffering. They are suffering financially due to the lack of having a teacher license.

Despite their equal qualifications to teachers in the United States, upwards of $18,000. They're missing out on in places like Waianae and Nanakuli, where they are helping to work with our students. On neighbor islands from Naalehu to Ele Ele on Kauai, they are forced to take buses.

They are our school principals, our community Members, many of whom are here today, have stepped up to support them. And really it stems from not being paid for equal work that they're doing. And that truly is due to not having a license and a pathway.

You know, they deserve the respect from the state, especially our state, which values such aloha. And that's why we truly support this Bill.

And, you know, I'm glad to be able to speak on behalf of those teachers who, as you can see from the testimony from our school principals, the teachers, community Members, this will make a true difference in their lives and the lives of our kids here in Hawaii.

Thank you so much. Do you know, in 2019, if the praxis tests were already a requirement for licensing at the time? Was that part of the process, the pathway?

No, it was not. And in fact, the Praxis exam really disenfranchises. There's a lot of research for educators of color. Even our educators here in Hawaii, they experience issues passing the practice exam. It is not a measure of whether or not a multiple choice test is not a measure of someone being an effective teacher.

I think being an effective teacher is talking to our school principals, our community Members, and hearing the amazing things that our educators are doing. I think that really is what a true educator, an effective educator looks like.

But it wasn't a requirement in 2019 when this program started with former Executive Director Lynn Hammonds, who no longer is the Executive Director. They welcomed our J1 teachers and they acknowledged the advanced licensure that they had and the experiences and the. And all the things that really make them true superstars in our schools.

But that changed in 2022 and that change has had a profound impact on them, their community, their families, many of whom also are able to immigrate here to the United States or on a non resident visa. And they also work in our schools as custodians, as educational assistants, as other teachers. But it wasn't a requirement. No.

And it's not a requirement for other states. Not all states require that exam. It is not the one and only examination to prove that you're an effective educator.

Thank you so much. Can I follow up with Hawaii State Teacher Standards Board, please? Thank you, Director. You know, your. The concerns that you raised are valid and we do, you know, understand and know your role, but wanted to give you an opportunity to kind of just respond and you know, given what was shared.

And then can you speak to. Because you are in your testimony mentioning the practice exams and the requirement and the cost associated with it and the, and we saw in like the hundreds of testimonies just the.

How it is definitely a barrier for a lot of the teachers that do want to stay here and want to teach here. So what is a potential solution like, or what could be a way for us to work with them, to get them, to give them an opportunity to create a pathway.

Thank you, Vice Chair. Yeah. So I sat on the board since 2012. I was actually chair of the Hawaii Teacher standards board when Mr. Urbanek was speaking about. At that time, the laws were relaxed.

Unfortunately, we found out in revised statutes, which actually was 2019, there was a way the board could have requirements met for international teachers or someone out of state.

So a good example is if they went to Harvard and sought a teaching program, if they didn't seek licensure in that state, they would still have to take the Praxics exam in our state.

Because what happens is our board has jurisdiction over the 14 educator preparation programs, which means they vet those 14 programs and then they get issued licenses. Our board cannot vet every single program either nationally or internationally. So in revised statute that safeguard was put in there. That people have in practice is the basic minimum test.

Just like in any profession, doctors, lawyers, they have a proficiency test. Other states actually have a state. When you graduate from an educator preparation program, you actually have to show improved content in order to get licensure. And so it's not a barrier in a sense. And actually the board did recommend that other ways can be met.

For our in state program completers. For example, uh, Mnoa, you can use your degree. Again, the program has been well vetted by our board. You can use your degree for content knowledge and then basic skills is vetted at that time as well.

However, if you went to Wisconsin, a school in Wisconsin, our board did not vet that program. So in order to ensure that they meet the licensure requirements, a basic minimum test, which is Praxis, is asked about for the teacher candidates that are coming into our state for licensure, as for the cost or the fee of it.

From my understanding, speaking with the teachers who hold the J1 visa, the DOE reimbursed that. From my understanding, from our in state teacher candidates, that's not reimbursed by the Department of Education. So if you're in emergency hire right now and you have to take the Praxis to fulfill licensure requirements, that's not reimbursed.

I was also informed by some of the teachers that hold a J1 visa that even though they hold an emergency hire permit with the Hawai'I Teacher Standards Board, they're given provisional license pay and they're also given their relocation bonus to come to Hawaii.

Our teacher candidates that are homegrown, that maybe went to unlv, Oregon, Washington to go to school, from my understanding, they're not given the relocation bonus when they come back. And if they have to take any Praxis tests, they're not reimbursed, they come out of their pocket.

And so the financial barrier, I understand you probably read in our testimony, a lot of it is due to the program in which is bringing them over to Hawaii. I think it's tens of thousands of dollars they have to pay this company in order to bring them over. He mentioned other states in the testimony, like Alaska.

Alaska has a $200 licensing fee. We do not. We have a zero licensing fee, zero application fee. They also have indigenous requirements they have to fulfill before becoming fully licensed. And this is if you're teaching 25 years somewhere in Mississippi and you wanted to go to Alaska, you still have to meet the benchmarks of the indigenous requirements.

Each state is allowed to make up whatever the requirements are for that state. Arizona. You have to take the Constitution test. So with the financial burden, I'm not sure it is due to the Praxis test. It may be due to the system in which are bringing them over to teach in Hawaii.

I'll hold my questions for now. Okay.

Any other questions? Quick recess.

Reconvening. Members, any questions?

Is there a standard score cut off...?

Question?

...in all states?

No? I have a question. First, can I call up DOE? Thank you, Mr. Bacon, for being here. Thank you for your testimony.

Thank you.

In your testimony, you echoed some of the preamble and the, in the Bill, with regards to J1 teachers having to take additional comprehensive examinations. With regards to the entry assessments, is that type of preservice assessment not best practice?

And that's not meant to be a leading question, but I'm asking because we have one testifier saying that entry assessments is not a best practice and then another saying that it is.

So, it, I think, Chair Woodson, basically what we're wanting to ensure is, you know, the State Statute indicates that an individual needs to have a license or a permit, in order to be eligible to work in our schools.

So, what we are doing is we are doing screening for individuals, to make sure that they can meet the requirements of the Standards Board before they are able to work in our schools as a teacher.

How are you doing that screening?

Currently, right now, the way that we are doing the screening is through the application process.

We are determining, whether or not, that they do have a license with the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board. If not, we are asking them for their transcripts, and if they do have any out of state license and then from there, determining if they have completed a state-approved teacher education program.

If they have done work outside of this state or have a transcript from outside of the United States, we are having that transcript then evaluated by an independent organization, to be able to determine if it is equivalent to a U.S. Degree or not.

Okay, and so how many of the J1 teachers have advanced degrees currently?

I'm going to turn to James to see if he can help answer that question for me. James, come on up.

Please come up.

Out of the 218 that we currently have employed with us, close to 200 already have graduate degrees or higher. Um, some of them have multiple graduate degrees, and about close to 30 have PhD or Doctorates. Some, oftentimes, getting two through their work.

Thank you for that. And how many of the J1 teachers go through a Praxis or a Praxis equivalent?

So, in the Philippines, as Pinky, the one testifier, had mentioned, the Philippine—the country of the Philippines—does, or also, the country of Kenya, where we have our two J1, our J1 teachers are from, they all take a different type of assessment which does basic skills, content knowledge, as well as pedagogy, which is how to teach, which is the equivalent of what the Praxis Exam is, which is basic skills, content knowledge, and pedagogy.

All the exams are done in English, as they are all official languages of each of those countries.

All right, thank you. HTSB, please. Questions? Thank you for being here. We probably have more questions, so.

Thank you again for being here. And so, your testimony also went into predatory behavior that takes place. Can you succinctly explain some of the predatory behavior that's been reported, regarding J1 teachers?

Yeah, and actually, I can call up Dr. Mitzie Higa.

When we go to licensing conferences around the country, one of the biggest concerns is regarding this practice, and it was brought up at one conference, in regards to the fear of being deported back to their home country, if they're not following the working conditions in which the employer is asking them to follow. So, I'll have Dr. Mitzie Higa speak to that as well.

Hi. National Council—or National Conference for State Legislatures. A couple years ago, they brought up that the teachers, especially from the Philippines, unfortunately, were being taken advantage by a third party. Not the state, not the people who brought them over—the State Department—but third-party lenders.

And they offered them loans for their travel to move over here, moving expenses, and then they charged them 50% interest. And so, the AFL CIO and the American Federation for Teachers both put out reports that—if you click on the links in the Testimony, you'll see it.

But as you start on Page 17, it talks about, unfortunately, this is what's causing them a lot of hardship. I can imagine. I was at UH - Mānoa, and I have a 7% loan. 50%, I can't even imagine. And that's incredible.

And they said across the country—it started on the mainland, um, it started on the East Coast, and it worked its way over in New Mexico, and now it's here in Hawaii. And so, we worry about these teachers for this reason, which is a bigger reason than a $500 fee for any tests.

Isn't a 50% loan illegal under the federal Frank Dodd Law that was passed several years ago?

Unfortunately, it's not US thing. I don't know which country they're operating out of, but, yeah, you would think, right? But that's what the report says from these teachers who came over, and we don't know who's doing it personally. They're still researching it. And we sent a resolution to Congress to research it further.

So, they're taking off these loans in their originating countries?

Yes.

You mentioned CSL and this work that has been done there—what are some of the policy solutions they are recommending to help address the issue?

Yeah, they recommended to Congress to actually research these third-party lenders and to make sure that there's criteria that they shouldn't be allowed to operate and offer these type of loans to people coming over, and make sure that they're not prey to it.

Educate the people on the other side, whatever country they're coming from, that they don't fall prey to these type of loans. But it is what's happening, and we've had J1 Visa Members, who want to remain anonymous, tell us about them, and we're trying to do something about it.

Okay. In your testimony, you mentioned out-of-state teachers need to take a Praxis test. You referenced that earlier. What do the candidates need to know to pass this intrigue—examination?

So, there's three basic skills tests, and it measures proficiency in reading, writing, and math. So, for instance, I actually got my initial license in California, so I had to take all of the tests in California to be licensed there.

When I wanted to move to Hawaii to transfer, I had to take the state-specific test here, which was Praxis. So, there's three basic math, reading, and writing tests they have to take and pass. There's also a content test to ensure that they have the content, and PLT is the pedagogy, the Principles of Learning and Teaching.

So, if you have three PhDs, can you teach or transfer that knowledge to a first grader, to teach them how to read? So, that's the pedagogy portion of it.

So again, because the Board doesn't have authority and vet every single program in the United States of America, and/or internationally, this is one of the caveats that, in revised statutes, allows the Board to ensure that, that people are meeting basic minimum skills. And this is for everyone.

Okay, thank you. Members, questions, please go ahead.

Hi. So, as a public-school parent, I have a question and I, I noticed that you said first grade, so let's just use grade school, an example. In this Bill, I see a lot of Filipino and even one Kenyan referred to, but does the language barrier create an issue?

I'm going to have Dr. Jennifer Padua, if I can, have speak—she's our Licensing Specialist and works primarily with our educator preparation program—speak to that.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, Chair, Committee Members. I'm sorry, can you repeat your questions again?

So, the gentleman back there, I believe from HSTA, he did say English is the, the, the, the language, right? I forget exactly how you said it. Yes, he's from—I'm sorry, I apologize. I apologize, but so English is the, is the primary language.

And when we bring—you know, I understand what this Bill is going for, but as a, like I said, private school parent, I've dealt with teachers that speak broken English. And when you're teaching with that broken English, it becomes hard to understand.

Is that create—does that create a barrier when we bring in teachers on this, on this visa?

I don't—I think there are very different variables we have to take into consideration. So, for instance, one way that our—the revised statue is doing these basic competency tests in reading, writing, and English. So at least we know that print and oral language is a communication. It depends on if people come with an accent.

I was born and raised here. I'm Filipino. But just because I'm Filipino doesn't make me the best teacher over in Kalihi, right, because the different context of what we're doing for. So, I think what we need to take into consideration is—what are the attributes that teachers bring to them? Right.

So, the sociocultural aspects, the language aspects, sort of the intonation, and as well as the dialect. Right? Like, I'm third generation here. I don't have those kinds of accents that probably my grandmother does. But in my experience, as a former public school DOE teacher on the west side, there are some Filipino teachers that have heavy accents, along with other, right?

My, my children went to public school, and they had teachers from Japan with an accent, right, and so, they're also learning the oral aspects of English too. So, it's sort of situational, depending on what the teacher's experiences bring with them.

Okay. If I may.

Continue, go ahead.

So, and I, oh yeah, ages. Regarding the use of Praxis as a standardized test, in many states, is there a standard cutoff score or passing score for everyone taking the test?

Correct. Each state and their board determines the passage of the test, and it's a nationally normed test. So, the way Praxis works is when they have a test, they bring in all the stakeholders and usually the content experts in that test.

They do a whole week, or so, long review of a test, and they all come up with a cut score, and then, that's a recommended score, but it's up to each state to adopt what recommended score—cut score—it is. And again, that's the bare minimum cut score.

We're not asking for higher than that or lower than that. It's usually what that team recommends, from the Praxis, after they consult on each test.

Thank you.

Yeah.

Members, any other questions? Vice Chair.

Last question—have, has HTSB engaged in any efforts to meet with the J1 teachers, or the groups, to kind of really understand, like, you know, what are the barriers with the Praxis tests? How and what type?

What are the different ways in which we can look at what could be identified as like, redundant, or ways that you can help support and help prepare them to take the test, if this is something that is absolutely necessary for them to do.

We haven't met with all the J1s. Usually they come across as an applicant. We have done presentations with the invitation of the Department of Education, usually in the summer, when they first come. So, we did one presentation, and we told them about all the resources that are out there.

Because like some of you said, Praxis can be a hard test for multiple reasons. I know someone who took the math Praxis five times, and they were born and raised in Hawaii. So, it depends on how well are you going to study?

Again, and it leads back to your regular education, because some of the math, reading, and writing is basic—so high school math—and if you haven't done algebra in 25 years or geometry in 25 years, you know, you're going to need to study for that basic math Praxis.

So, that is a great conversation we want—having with not only the Department of Education, but the Union as well, us. Unfortunately, we weren't consulted on this Bill.

We were surprised that it came up, and I believe one of the testifiers from the Department of—the Attorney's General Office—said that usually, our licensing is done in administrative rules, not revised statutes, and that's where we have it tiered out and the renewal requirements and everything spelled out, it's done in HAR, rather than in revised statutes.

So, we're happy to have that conversation with all the stakeholders, including the J1 teachers. One of the biggest concerns from the Board was that they were—the J1 teachers—were being placed into special education classrooms, with no special education license in the Philippines. Another concern is, is taking a special education course and passing in the Philippines, does that cover IDEA Federal Law in Hawaii?

Is that equivalent? So, if I went to China, became a teacher, did my special education degree in China—am I taught everything that is US Law for special education when I come here and I'm in a classroom?

So, those are the concerns that the Board has brought up, as well, with the equitability of a license from a different country, even a different state.

Thank you, Chair.

Members, any other questions? I have questions for the Standards Board and also the DOE together. So, Mr. Urbaniak, if you can come up representing, or AS Bacon, whoever you think is the best. So, James. So, James, you're the specialist, you're, you're in charge of this J1—that's why you're here. Okay.

I don't know if I'm able to comment on—sorry, sure.

Okay. Thank you so much. And so, I'm just trying to seek clarification on some of the inconsistency and the testimony. Both can't be correct and say—until one of you is saying that there's provisional compensation, the other is saying that there's a difference between $18,000 in some cases, which is correct.

So, Chair, I'd like to point out that the Praxis—if you are a licensed teacher, like I was, from New Jersey, who moved here 20 years ago to teach in Hawaii, if I have a license from New Jersey and I move to Hawaii, I will be given a Hawaii license.

If you are a licensed teacher from the Philippines who went through a teacher ed program, similar to me in New Jersey, I will not get a Hawaii license. Praxis is not the requirement. If you—it's not the test that you have to take, in order to become a teacher in Hawaii.

If you're licensed in, let's say Minnesota, or Oregon, or Texas, or Georgia, not all use the Praxis test. They all have their own measure to determine someone's effectiveness as an educator and qualifications to receive a license. So, I just want to just correct that. That Praxis is not the only exam.

If you have a license from another area and you apply for your Hawaii license, if you're, you know, trained in the US, you will get your Hawaii license. So, I just wanted to make sure that clarification is noted. It's not a matter of that Praxis must be the only test.

Do you want to respond to that? I'm listening, but go ahead.

Yeah, so that's not 100% accurate because we have states right now, due to the teacher shortage, that are allowing full license. You can hold a full license in Florida if you have military experience. Some states all you need is substitute experience, without completing a state-approved teacher education program.

So, there are some states, because of the teacher shortage, who are lowering requirements. Again, international is different than US, in the sense where, if someone, again, went to Japan or Kenya or—we can't control, we kind of know U.S. law for licensure, but when you break it out into international, now there's all different types of schooling.

We know that even some bachelor's degree in one country does—is not equivalent to a bachelor's degree in the US, so that's not 100% accurate. We do have teachers currently today in preparation programs that do take the Praxis test in order to be issued a license.

But can you draw some general...

Yeah.

...conclusions based upon like PISA scores? What is the PISA score for the Philippines? The Program for International Student Assessment, which assess student outcomes based upon countries.

We haven't done a crosswalk with Praxis and the Philippines testing scores. Again, other—like California has the RICA Test and other tests. We don't do a crosswalk with other states' tests or even international tests. We could, if that's something that this Committee would like us to do.

But usually, again, it's up to the state, in the jurisdiction, to create licensing rules and regulations.

Does the Philippines participate in PISA? Does anyone know? What about PEARLS or TIMSS?

Not familiar.

You're not sure? Okay.

I also.

Go ahead.

Also, would just like to also correct that our local graduates who do happen to move to, let's say Las Vegas, or to the mainland, and then decide to come home, which we've actually done a great job recruiting, all of those educators do receive relocation bonuses to come back to Hawaii to teach.

So, we do provide those incentives for our local educators who do happen to travel. I just want to make sure that's corrected. For those who might be listening to this, we'd love to have you come back and get that relocation.

Okay, thank you. Members, any other questions? Seeing none. Okay, quick recess. Recess.

Reconvening the Education Committee, we are going to skip the next two bills on the agenda. We are going to move to House Bill 621, relating to education, requires an appropriate fund to pay salary differentials to English language educators, as an incentive to attract and retain educators and appropriates funds.

First up, we have Department of Education, in support, with comments.

Good afternoon, Chair, Vice Chair, Members of the Committee. Sean Bacon, speaking on behalf of the Department of Education. The Department stands on its written testimony in providing comments on this measure and we welcome any questions. Thank you.

Thank you. Next up, we have the Attorney General providing testimony with comments, in person.

Good afternoon, Vice Chair La Chica and Members of the Committee. My name is Fiamma Rago and I'm here on behalf of the Department of the Attorney General. The current wording of this Bill may conflict with Section 89-9 HRS because the Hawaii Labor Relations Board has previously determined that differentials are considered wages and therefore subject to mandatory collective bargaining.

Additionally, the term educator is not defined in Chapter 302-A HRS. So, replacing the term "educator" with the term "teacher" may ensure greater clarity and consistency. We've included suggested language to resolve this in our written testimony. I'm available to attempt to answer any questions you may have. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. Okay. Next, we have the State Public Charter School Commission providing testimony, with comments.

Aloha, Vice Chair La Chica and Committee Members. PJ Foehr, on behalf of Dr. Ed Ngo, for the State Public Charter School Commission. We stand on our submitted comments regarding this Bill and look forward to working with anyone as matter moves forward.

Thank you. Next, we have the Office of Collective Bargaining, in opposition. Next, we have the Hawaii State Teachers Association providing testimony, in support.

Aloha, Chair and Vice Chair. Sarah Milianta-Laffin for the Hawaii State Teachers Association. So, this Bill, one thing I want to say is that we do give differentials. We've done that before. We give differentials to hard-to-staff locations and to SPED teachers. So, there is already precedent for differentials.

If you walk into an EL classroom, you could see students—you could hear students—speaking in 15 languages, and that teacher has to figure out how to teach math and how to teach reading. All of these at one time. These are some of the hardest working teachers on your campus, and it's super important that we compensate them for their work.

So, we were excited to see this moving forward. And again, this is just a great strategy to recruit and retain excellent teachers. Yeah. So, we stand on this.

Thank you so much. Next up, we have Hawaii Children's Action Network Speaks, providing testimony in support. We have Hawaii Coalition for Immigrant Rights testimony.

Thank you. We have Hawaii Friends of Civil Rights providing testimony. Providing testimony in support. Thank you so much. We also have Safe Haven Immigrant Migrant Resource Center providing testimony in support.

We have Secondary Student Conference Student Achievement Committee providing testimony in support. And I didn't count these, but I'm guessing, several dozen individuals providing testimony in support. Is there anyone else wishing to testify on House Bill 621, in person or on Zoom? Okay, seeing...

I can.

Yes, please go ahead. Is it Pinky? Okay, go ahead.

I am Pinky Grace Francisco, and I am the EL Coordinator and EL teacher at Keaau Middle School. I used to teach at Kau High & Pahala Elementary School with more than 120 EL's and now, moving to Keaau Middle School, I have 70 ELs and right now, I am the only, sole EL teacher.

So, the role of an EL teacher is always a duality, right? Because my role in here is a duality.

Having a full teaching line while doing compliance duties as an EL Coordinator, which includes administering WIDA Screener, WIDA Access Testing, which is actually happening right now, parent communications, infinite campus input of EL Services and EL Minutes, updating student record profile, joining IEP meetings, if we have dual specified ELs, and a lot more.

And in my complex area with nine schools, only four EL coordinators are actually TESOL licensed. Five schools, among the nine, have new EL Coordinators this year, and all EL Coordinator positions in all schools are in duality, just like what I've said.

Either EL Coordinator with teaching lines, or EL Coordinator with another leadership role like Academic Coach, Literacy Coach, or Parent Engagement Coordinator. And well, there are a number of TESOL-licensed teachers within my school and my complex area, but they are very reluctant to be one because of the overwhelming expectations of the job.

Teaching 6, 7, and 8 in my school means I have three different curriculums to teach, while General Education teachers just focus on one subject and one grade level at a time, making their work more, of course, convenient than EL teachers.

And our standards cover social instructional language, language and language arts, language of mathematics, language of science, language of social studies. So, it encompasses all.

So, by offering a paid differential, this Bill will actually attract and retain skilled teachers in this essential field, because competitive compensation rewards the specialist training and expertise required to actually support English Language Learners, which we are not actually decreasing, we are increasing, every now and then. Right?

And of course, research also consistently show that well trained teachers play a crucial role in closing the achievement gap. However, of course, the persistent shortage of qualified teachers has made it difficult to provide consistent, high-quality support.

Again, let me just emphasize that we have a lot of TESOL-licensed teachers in my complex area and across Hawaii, but they don't want to become EL Teachers and EL Coordinators because the work is overwhelming. So, if we have a differential that will actually aid into the teacher recruitment and retention for EL teachers.

So, for this reason, I urge the Legislature to pass this Bill and fully fund the proposed paid differentials because by doing so, this will help ensure that Hawaii's multilingual learners actually receive the educational opportunities they deserve, while, of course, strengthening the state's commitment to an inclusive and effective public education system. Thank you so much.

Have a great day.

Thank you so much for your testimony. And we did have 74 individuals providing testimony in support. Members, any questions on House Bill 621?

Do you have questions on English language?

No, it's okay. You can keep going.

Quick question for DOE on this Bill—do you know how many vacancies, currently, we have for EL teachers?

Thank you for the question of Vice Chair. So technically the Department doesn't have like a position called an EL teacher. We have an Elementary Teacher, a Special Education Teacher, a Secondary Teacher, but we don't really have a teacher title that's an EL teacher.

We did pull some kind of initial really rough data right now, so this is very rough, but I'll kind of just give to you. So, we did pull the ACCN number.

So, basically all the course descriptions that we have, and really what we've found is that approximately, right now, we have about 194 HQ Teachers that basically they're assigned to the course that is TESOL. At this point right now, we also have, approximately, another 265-ish that are identified as non-HQs.

So, in total, we have about 460 teachers, at this point right now. Again, that's very, very rough numbers at this point for, for the—for that purposes.

Got it. Okay. No, that was helpful, because I didn't realize that it wasn't—so it's not a, there's not a title that's like an ELL title or coordinator or it's, it, but does it vary like school by school on how they call it?

Yeah, so like kind of what we said in our testimony is, you know, if this were to move forward, you know, we'd like to work, really work on some criteria here to determine, you know, the level of the differential in, you know, what qualifications they would need in order to be paid the differential.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Okay? Next up we have-- Next up we have House Bill 629, relating to therapy services, expands scope of practice for occupational therapists, physical therapists and speech pathologists employed or contracted by the Department of Education. So first up we have Department of Education providing testimony in support.

Good afternoon, Chair Woodson, Vice Chair La Chica, Members of the Committee. I'm Heidi Armstrong representing the Department of Education. And we stand on our written testimony of this bill in support. Thank you.

Thank you. Next we have Department of Human Services, providing testimony in support via Zoom.

Aloha. Judy Mohr Peterson, Med-QUEST Administrator on behalf of Director Yamane and the Department of Human Services, we stand on our written testimony in support of this measure. Thank you.

Thank you. We have DCCA providing testimony in opposition. Anyone here from DCCA?

Good afternoon, Chair Woodson, Vice Chair La Chica. I'm Candace Ito. I'm the Executive Officer for the Occupational Therapist Program. And the Department stands on our written testimony. Here for any questions.

Thank you. Next we have Board of Physical Therapy, offering testimony-- offering comments.

Good afternoon, Chair, Vice Chair, Members of the Committee. My name is Rochelle Araki, Executive Officer for the Board of Physical Therapy. The board stands on its written testimony offering comments. Thank you.

Thank you. We have Hawaii Board of Speech Pathology and Audiology, Christopher Fernandez.

Good afternoon, Chair, Vice Chair, Members of the Committee. My name is Christopher Fernandez, Executive Officer for the Board of Speech Pathology and Audiology. I'm here to stand on the board's testimony supporting the intent and offering comments.

Thank you so much. Next up, we have American Physical Therapy Association of Hawaii offering testimony in opposition via Zoom. Not present. We have Hawaii FASD Action Group offering testimony in support.

Hi, folks. Amanda Luning, Executive Director of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Action Group. We stand on our written testimony. I just want to add that the nature-- I don't know the details of the licensing issues with the professionals involved in this, but the nature of this bill is very heartening to the work that we're doing.

Because FASD is so under-diagnosed, it's a really complicated public health and set of conditions and it really gives a cool opportunity for kids and folks that are affected to have earlier interventions based on things like functional, physical and developmental deficits.

And I think that in the long run that's very helpful to all of us in relationship to the prevention of long term comorbidities. Thank you.

Thank you so much. Next we have a one individual providing testimony in support and one individual providing testimony in opposition. Is there anyone else wishing to testify on House Bill 629 in person or on Zoom. Seeing none. Members, any questions?

Okay, we seeing none. We will move on to the next measure, which is House Bill 763 relating to civic education. Establishes the Civic Education Trust Fund to support programs benefiting civic education of public school students and appropriate funds. First up, we have Department of Education offering comments.

Good afternoon, Vice Chair La Chica, Members of the Committee, I'm Heidi Armstrong representing the Department of Education. We stand on our written comments. Our written testimony providing comments. Thank you.

Thank you so much. We have the Department of Budget and Finance providing testimony with comments. We have Democratic Party of Hawaii Education Caucus testimony and support. We have PACE Commission Colin Moore providing testimony in support via Zoom.

Aloha Chair Woodson and Vice Chair La Chica. I'm Colin Moore. I'm a political scientist at UH Manoa, but I'm here to testify. I'm in strong support of HB763 on behalf of the Supreme Court's PACE Commission.

In addition to our written testimony, I just wanted to emphasize the results of a survey that Pace just completed of nearly 800 DOE educators across Hawaii that revealed some critical gaps in civics education.

The survey told us that 26% of DOE teachers, only 26% are satisfied with the quality of civics instruction at their school and 45% say that the resources are inadequate. Professional development was another key challenge that emerged in the survey. DOE teachers overwhelmingly identified improving civics education pedagogy as a top priority.

But only 17% receive civics specific training at least once a year. As you know, this Bill does a lot to address those issues by creating a civics education Trust Fund, expanding resources and professional development and funding two full time civics education positions at doe.

And PACE thinks that these dedicated positions will ensure a long term focus on civics education which is now managed by a single specialist with broad responsibility beyond Civics. So the PACE Commission urges you to support HB763 and to make this investment in our students and our democracy that we so desperately need. Thank you.

Thank you so much for your testimony. We have next Hawaii Youth Food Council providing testimony and support, the Green Party of Hawaii providing testimony and support, and 18 individuals providing testimony in support. Is there anyone else here wishing to testify? Please go ahead.

Aloha Chair Vice Chair Sarah Milianta-Laffin for the Hawaii State Teachers Association. Really excited to see this Bill code forward. Also, I will say I majored in political science. I actually am alternatively certified. I didn't take the praxis and I've been teaching for 19 years through teach for America.

So civics education matters because it helps individuals understand their rights and responsibilities as Members of a democratic society. It equips people with the knowledge needed to participate effectively in government, make informed decisions, and hold leaders accountable.

A strong civics education fosters critical thinking, encourages civic engagement like voting and community service, and promotes an understanding of the rule of law, constitutional principles, and the importance of civil disclosure. Without it, democracy can weaken as citizens may lack the awareness or skills need to advocate for their interests and control contribute to the common good.

So this is really important legislations we hope you support.

Thank you so much. Anyone else wishing to testify? Okay, seeing none. Members, any questions? Any questions? Okay, seeing none. Let's move on to House Bill 7.

No, House Bill 637 relating to education requires the Department of Education to implement dyslexia sensitive universal screening and evidence based interventions, professional development, unstructured literacy and evidence based interventions to support pre teacher programs and training candidates in structured literacy instruction. First up we have Department of Education offering testimony and support.

Good afternoon Vice Chair La Chica, Members of the Committee, Heidi Armstrong, Department of Education and we stand in support of this measure. Thank you.

Thank you so much. Next we have Department of Human Services providing testimony offering comments. We have the State Council on Developmental Disabilities.

Aloha Vice Chair, Committee Members. My name is Chase Louver. I'm with the Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities. We just will stand on our written testimony and support and just wanted to highlight I'm an individual who has dyslexia. I was born and raised here. I didn't know I had it till I was 25.

I went to our public school system so if we had a measure like this, maybe my schooling could have been a lot easier. So thank you.

Thank you so much for sharing. Next we have Hawaii Kids Can offering testimony and support.

Aloha. Vice Chair La Chica, Members of the Committee, Hawaii Kids can stands on our written testimony in strong support of this bill. We'd just like to note that in discussions with the doe, our suggested amendment. To align new dyslexia related data collection is actually already been accounted for within the HMTSS system.

So we feel that this suggestion is no longer necessary.

Thank you.

Thank you so much. Next up, we have Early Childhood Action Strategy offering testimony and support. We have RHNAissance Learning offering testimony and support. Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii offering testimony and support. We have Loose quality home health care services testimony and support. And four individuals offering testimony in support.

Is there anyone else here wishing to testify in. In person or on Zoom Seeing none. Members, are there any questions? Okay, just quick follow up question for the Department. Hi, Heidi. Superintendent, did you get to hear the comment testimony from Hawaii Children, Hawaii Kids can about their. That the amendment was no longer necessary.

Their amendment, was it?

Oh. Oh, okay. Okay. It's not from the Department. Oh, got it, got it. Okay. Okay. Scratch. Thank you so much. Okay, take care. Okay. Seeing no questions. Members, let's move on to House Bill 620 relating to education. Establish a state policy to promote braille literacy for eligible blind students.

Requires individualized education programs, sections 504, plans of eligible blind students to include the assessment and evaluation of eligible blind students, reading and writing abilities, instruction of braille, and provision of braille instructional materials under certain circumstances. Requires the DOE to establish a braille literacy resource center and appropriate fund. Okay, first up, we have Department of Education offering comments.

Good afternoon, Vice Chair, Members of the Committee. Heidi Armstrong, Department of Education. We stand on our written comments. And I wanted to preface in our comments, we recommend replacing the text of HB620 with SB530. And I wanted to clarify that both bills are saying similar things. It's just the language of SB530 aligns

more closely with the National Federation of The Blind, the agency that we work closely with. So it's, it's a little bit more seamless in the language and the structure. But both bills are requesting the same thing.

Thank you so much. Next we have the Attorney General offering testimony with comments.

Good afternoon, Chair, Vice Chair La Chica, Members, Anne Horiuchi from the department. As we noted in our testimony, there is a section in the bill that we wanted to. We see, have some concerns with. And that's new Section 302A-C, subsection B.

It's on page five, lines three through eight, requiring that every individualized education program or Section 504 plan of an eligible blind student include an assessment. That's something that we find to be contrary to law, to federal law.

Those assessments are things that the IEP teams are required to consider and determine whether or not it's appropriate for each individual student. So requiring that the assessment be in the IEP, it may not be appropriate for certain students. So that's why we suggest that that section be stricken. Thank you. I'll be available. Available for questions.

Okay, thank you. Next up, we have Department of Human Services offering testimony, providing testimony, offering comments. And then we have next, the Hawaii State Committee of Blind Vendors offering testimony and support. We have the National Federation of the Blind of Hawaii offering testimony in support via Zoom.

Yes, James- James Gashel here, testifying for National Federation of the Blind of Hawaii. Note that we're in accord with the Department of Education as to the text that should be in the bill. And so at the end of our testimony, we have the text that is recommended.

And this is really the work product of many, many meetings between National Federation of the Blind of Hawaii and Department DOE staff to work out what we think is a good measure that should be enacted for Hawaii. Let me say, with regard to the Attorney General's testimony.

I appreciate that she, in her written testimony, cited the federal regulation and, of course, the federal law. And I just want to mention the federal law on this, and I don't think it agrees with the Attorney General's representation of it.

It's 20 USC section 614 D, and it says in the case of a child who is blind that the IEP team must provide for braille or the use of braille, unless it's ruled out by an evaluation.

So if we really leave the idea of whether or not there's going to be an assessment or an evaluation to the IEP team, as the Attorney General suggests, then to comply with federal law, braille would have to be provided. The choice of an IEP team is to provide braille or to provide an assessment.

Well, the position of HB620 and the revised, the amended version would both be that always an assessment is mandated, and then the assessment determines whether braille is or is not to be provided. So this bill really does comply with the federal law. And with that, I just. Thank you.

Mahalo for having the hearing on this bill and hope it's passed as amended.

Mahalo for your testimony. Next we have Marie Kothut in support. Sorry. Go ahead.

Make me look good, buddy. I probably don't need to find the mic. Am I okay?

Yes.

Oh, hi. Good afternoon, Chair and Vice Chair and Committee Members. My name is Marie Kauthoft, and I am in strong support of HB620.

So I had to think about what I wanted to say today because this particular bill strikes me pretty strongly. I was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, which is a degenerative eye disease. Prognosis is blindness.

But when I was early- diagnosed early, like at the age of seven, I wasn't given braille, I wasn't given an assessment, and I wasn't given the opportunity to be able to, well, compete, right? I mean, imagine. So they knew I was going to go blind.

And so by the age of 24, that came to fruition, and I was left ill equipped to deal with blindness. I was essentially illiterate, unless I relied on audio books, any type of audio source.

I mean, I noticed so many people, and probably right in front of me right now, you have the opportunity to sit and read a speech. And I love that I'm not afforded that. Right. I'm at the age of 60 now, in hindsight's 2020.

If I had had an assessment, if I had been offered that opportunity to learn braille, I could have as my vision transitioned. I could have used both modalities, tactile and visual, and as the vision diminished, I would have become proficient. See, at this age now, the neuroplasticity isn't as pretty, right?

It takes us a little bit longer to learn. But if we get these kids, our kids, if we get them early, we talk about barriers. If we get kids early to learn. I was a psychology professor and retired. But if we get them early, the neural pathways in their brains are amazing, right?

They have trillions of connections and they're waiting to learn anything you throw at them, right? If I had known braille at that time, those neural pathways would have been built. As we age, a thing called pruning happens, and those pathways get harder and harder.

And although I did learn braille later on in life, I can't compete with my blind counterparts who got braille. I just, I mean, they fly through pages with both fingers, and I'm. I'm still working on, you know, the ball bounced on. You know, it's hard for me.

I can do my spices and I can do all sorts of things. But as a professor, as a college student, as a professor, I struggled so much in trying to fill the gaps that I didn't get younger. I don't mean to ramble on, but it's so important now I realize the gaps that I. The barriers

I had to jump over the pain. I had to put sunglasses on right now because the lights kill me. I had. I mean, in college when I was taking notes, I would use these big markers, right? And we didn't have the ones that didn't smell.

So I was getting high off the fumes and I'd be, you know, my face is down and I'm writing off my page and I'm trying. And I still, I still graduated at the top of my class, but, man, it took so much work. I don't want any kid to go through that.

I want them to be able to have the proper assessment. I want people to look and say, okay, look, you know what? If we give these kids braille now, they're not going to have to deal with what I had to deal with.

So that's why I'm in support of this bill and I thank you for listening to me and I appreciate your time.

Thank you so much for being here and for waiting and sharing your testimony. I appreciate it.

Thank you so much for hearing me.

Thank you. Next we have Katie Keim in person.

Aloha. Good afternoon, Chair, co Chair and Committee. Thank you for hearing my testimony today. My name is Katie Keim. I'm the second Vice President of the National Federation of Blind. I'm very pleased to see DOE here. And with the amendments supporting us, it's been a lot of work, a lot of years. I.

For 25 years, besides being an independent consultant to Department of Education 20 years ago for children who are blind, I've also been an advocate in their IEPs with their parents and their children in most districts throughout Hawaii.

And I've seen the results of no assessment, but the team saying, well, they don't need it because they can still see. Well, what can they see? Just what Marie's talking about. They might see 42.1 letter at a time to read so they don't get braille.

What kind of opportunity is that for a child to grow up in the Department of Education and get good public education? None. So I've seen the results multiple times as I go in and attempt to educate the parents and the students, let alone the Department of Education IEP teams to assist in opportunities for our blind children.

Thank you for your time today.

Thank you so much. Next we have Tabitha Mitchell providing testimony and support via Zoom.

Yes, can you hear me?

Yes, go ahead.

Aloha. Chair Woodson, Vice Chair La Chica, thank you very much for hearing this bill, to having this- having this hearing today so we can talk about this bill. I come to you as a proud public school graduate.

I'm also a proud parent of three kids that graduated from public schools in Hawaii. The youngest of those happens to be blind. She is a beacon of hope, I think, to the blindness community and to what you have heard Katie talk about and what you have heard Marie talk about.

She was also diagnosed with a rare degenerative disorder when she was three years old. She was likely born blind by the technical definition, but we didn't know, she didn't get diagnosed until she was three.

And when she was first diagnosed, she had some vision enough to kind of fool us to where we really didn't know that she was blind. Because these guys are really good at adapting and using their non visual skills. And I've lived it.

So I know how easy it is for parents to think that, oh, you know, it'll be okay, they can enlarge their paper, they can blow it up, they can use a cctv. I was that parent and I come to you today with somebody that has a Master's of Science in Public Health. And I've lived this life.

And I was the parent that said, oh, you know, she's got some vision, let's teach her with dual media because she needs to learn print and whatever this braille stuff is. And so we went down that path for her to be what's called a dual media learner.

After I had the opportunity when she was about 5 years old to really kind of dig in and get exposure to blind role models, people that were what my daughter was going to be as she aged, as she got older, she was going to be blind, she was likely going to lose most of her vision, as you heard Marie talk about.

And when I saw these blind adults that were riding the metro and that were taking the bus and they had full time jobs, they were reading braille, they were cane users, some were dog users, they had independent lives. And I knew immediately that that is what I wanted my daughter to have and to be able to do.

And I fully recognized that as I watched these guys and their non visual skills and their capabilities, that what was paramount to most of those that were successful was braille. And so in kindergarten I went in and basically said, yeah, no, this dual media stuff is not where we need to be. It's a waste of time.

Because I had sheets of paper that were coming home to me, I kid you not, that I would tape together and they were the size of a desk and that was thought to be equitable to the other kids in the class, when it came to a coloring assignment or, you know, being able to look at something and you're sitting here thinking to yourself, how does this make any sense?

Because she's got a bigger piece of paper that she has to try to see and figure out, it just made absolutely no sense. And so when I aligned and tuned into the non visual concepts and tactile modalities of learning, as you heard Marie talk about, her learning took off.

She went from being three levels below in her reading to whenever she started to pick up braille and to have braille skills in reading. And that was 100% what she was focusing on, not the dual media business. Then she went up three levels above grade level.

So she had like a six, you know a six- six notch climb. And that to me is testament. That to me is a vivid example of what's possible when these kids have braille.

Now, I was the parent that this bill is designed to catch in the system because we relied on the federal and the way that, that the IEP law is written. And I would have been that parent that would have sat there and said, yeah, my daughter doesn't need braille because I didn't understand, I didn't know.

But if I had known the progression of her disease and if I had known blindness and the capability of braille, the other thing that this bill does that is hugely important is it destigmatizes braille. I know because I've been there. I came in there and I thought, oh my gosh, how can I teach my daughter braille?

I don't know braille. I don't know the first thing about it. And I can't, could not at that time teach my daughter braille. But I now recognize that I'm on the other side of this.

My daughter's a college student, she's in another state, she's living in a dorm room, she's taken, I don't even know, she's taken like calculus 3 and biochem as a freshman. And all of those things are possible not because of me and my husband and our parenting, but because she had braille. It truly is that simple.

And you know that our job was just to get her materials in her language at the same time as her sighted peers so that she wasn't pushed down and she wasn't put behind like you heard Marie talk about.

And so we fought for those things and she had her materials and she was able to be on a level playing field. Today, those that know her, when you talk to her, she just thinks of herself as a regular student, which is what it- this is the way it should be, the way inclusion is designed.

That's the way it should be. So the other thing this bill talks about is a braille resource center that is in. I mean, the concept there is to destigmatize braille. Braille is not hard.

But when you take these kids and they have that, they're doing it, you know, as early as they can because we identify them through these assessments, they don't fall through the cracks because the way that, you know, a federal law is written that we catch them and we teach them braille, we get them the instruction, we support the parents, we explain to them that, oh, yeah, braille is not that big of a deal.

It's just going to be the tactile language that your kid needs to learn to utilize. And by the way, you can learn it, too. And you can do stuff in your home. You don't have to think that you can't do it because it is very doable.

And that's why we're asking for the funding for the braille resource center, because it would just be able to take that concept which probably most people in this room are sitting there thinking to themselves, oh, my word, I could never learn braille. I can't imagine. We're all used to seeing the door signs outside and we touch them.

But you never think about your capacity or your ability to learn braille because for whatever reason, we just think that it's so hard and it's not.

And this bill aims to reach those kids and to get those kids into braille instruction and to get the materials in the classroom in their language at the same time as their sighted peers. So I urge you to take it forward and thank you very much for giving us the opportunity.

Thank you. Thank you so much. That's it for our testifiers. We also have about seven individuals providing testimony and support. Is there anyone else here wishing to testify on House Bill 620 in person or online? Seeing none. Members, any questions? Seeing none, I will turn this back over to chair.

Thank you, Vice Chair. Moving on to HB98 with regards to DOE and authentic assessments. First up, we have DOE offering testimony, providing comments in person.

Good afternoon, Chair Woodson, Vice Chair La Chica and Members of the Committee. I'm Heidi Armstrong representing the Department of. Education, and we stand on our written testimony offering comments. Thank you.

Thank you so much. Next, we have HSTA offering testimony support in person.

Aloha, Chair and Vice Chair, Sarah Milianta-Laffin. And for HSDA will stand on our written testimony as well.

Thank you so much. We also have 33 individuals all offering testimony in support. Anyone else? HB 98. Questions? Okay. Seeing none. Moving on to the next bill, we have HB 83, 863. This is with regards to the Department of Education and school supplies for teachers. First up, we have is DOE offering testimony in support.

Aloha, Chair Woodson, Vice Chair La Chica, Members of the Committee. Keith Hayashi, Superintendent, testifying on behalf of the Department of Education that we stand on our written testimony. Strong support of this measure. Thank you.

Thank you so much. Next, we have Charter Schools offering testimony. Charter School Commission. Excuse me. Offering testimony in support in person.

Aloha, Chair and Vice Chair and Members of the Committee. PJ Foehr on behalf of Dr. Ed Noh, Executive Director for the Charter School Commission. We stand on our submitted written testimony in support of this bill.

Thank you for being here. Next, we have HSTA offering testimony in support in person.

Aloha, Chair, Vice Chair. Sarah Milianta-Laffin for HSTA. We stand on our written testimony. But I will also just add, I was excited to see this bill. Since 2007, I've used the platform DonorsChoose to fund supplies for my classroom. So one of the things on here that I love seeing is teacher requested classroom supplies. Means I don't have to find three quotes. I don't have to buy the cheapest crayons. I'm kind of a pencil snob. And so I like Ticonderoga pencils for my classroom.

So to start every year, I ask for 2000 pencils on DonorsChoose and I get those funded for my classroom. Really excited to see the Department expand this resource because it really stops the gatekeepers from saying what I'm allowed to have in my classroom and not. I would also just advise this forward.

If you want to see what your teachers need in your districts, put your zip code in and look at what the teachers are asking for. It's a great resource to see what teachers are requesting for teacher classrooms. And it really kind of gets a pulse on what's happening in your community. So really excited about this bill. Please support.

Thank you so much for your testimony. Next, we have Democratic Party of Hawaii Education Caucus offering testimony in support. Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii offering testimony in support. And we have eight individuals all offering testimony in support. Anyone else? HB 863. Seeing none. Members, any questions? Seeing none. Members.

We're going to go back up to HB838 this is with regards to increasing teacher bonuses that go through the National Board certification. First up, we have DOE offering comments. This is HB 838.

Good afternoon, Chair, Vice Chair, Members of the Committee. Sean Bacon, speaking on behalf of the Department of Education Department, stands on its written testimony providing comments and is available for any questions. Thank you.

Thank you so much. Next, we have public Charter School Commission offering testimony and support in person.

Aloha, Chair Woodson and Vice Chair La CHica, Members of the Committee, the PJ4, on behalf of Dr. Ed Noh, the Executive. Director of the state Public Charter School Commission. We stand on our written testimony and support with amendments and look forward to. Working with anyone to move this forward.

Thank you so much. Next, we have AG's office offering testimony and support in person. All right. Excuse me. Comments. Comments.

Good afternoon, Chair Woodson, Vice Chair La Chica, Members, Ann Horuchi from the Department of the Attorney General. There are two typographical errors in the Bill. The one is the amount of 15,000 should be replaced with 10,000 on page two, line 18 of the Bill to correctly reflect the amount of the bonus as provided for in the Bill.

Also, in the effective date section, the reference to section three should be changed to section two. Thank you. I'll be available for questions. Thank you.

We received your proposed amendments. Thank you so much for that. Next, we have Hawaii Teachers Standards Board offering testimony and support in person.

Good afternoon, Chair, Vice Chair, Mc Members. My name is Felicia Villalobos, Executive Director of the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board. We sign our written testimony and support and just want to congratulate the 24 new CERT Teachers Nationally Board certified that.

Certified this past year, as well as the 42 teachers that maintain, which adds to the total of 540 teachers that are now nationally board certified and also want to say that they did have to take a nationally norm test in order to be nationally certified, along with portfolios and other things they had to do. Thank you.

Thank you for your testimony. Next, we have the Office of Collective Bargaining offering testimony in opposition, not present HSTA testimony support in person.

Aloha, Chair, Vice Chair Sir Emiliano Laughen for the Hawaii Teacher Association. We're excited by this because we know it helps us retain and recruit excellent teachers. So we stand in strong support.

Thank you so much. Next, we have 35 testifiers all testifying in support for this particular proposal. Anyone else? Members, are there any questions? Representative Reyes Oda.

Sure. Can I ask the DOE? Hi. Thank you. I know that your testimony, your written testimony didn't reflect what the Office of Collective Bargaining said when it said that. They oppose it because they believe that. It should be in subject to negotiations currently as written with the $5,000.

Just to make sure that I'm clear with Everybody, was this $5,000 negotiated or how is it current? Because it's already currently in law. So is it. Is this negotiated right now?

Thank you for the question. I'm not familiar on the history of, you know, how it actually got there. But from my understanding, it is currently. In statute right now. So the Department is following the statute in order to pay out this incentive. At this point right now.

Okay. So if the law provides that teachers or anybody else get paid, the Department must follow that law.

So if the Legislature were to move forward and it was to be approved by the Legislature, the Department would follow. The intent of the Legislature and adhere to the law.

Okay, thank you. Thank you. Members. Any other questions? Okay, seeing none. Moving on to the last bill, HB 1202. This recognizes prior years of teaching service for compensation. First up, we have DOE offering testimony, providing comments.

Chair, Vice Chair, Members of the Committee, Sean Bacon. Again, on behalf of the Department of Education, we stand on our written testimony providing comments and available for any questions. Thank you.

Thank you so much. Next, we have Kulia Academy offering testimony and support. We have David Reed offering testimony and support via Zoom.

Good afternoon. My name is David Reed. I'm here to endorse House Bill 1202. I stand on my. On my written statement. And in addition, Hawaii's classrooms are in desperate need of qualified teachers. And this bill could help address our shortage by ensuring all certified teaching experience is equally valued for salary purposes.

However, it is important to note that the Department of Education's written testimony states they're in favor of handling this new collective bargaining. However, in 2022, the DOE unilaterally repressed salaries outside of collective bargaining. And in the most recent collective bargaining agreement negotiations, they were strongly against, including all prior experience, being counted for salaries.

Further, the DOE is appealing my successful HLRB case against them, which concerns up to six years of experience. And the HLRB ruled that in 2020 that their 2022 repricing was discriminatory and against the plain language of 89.9 F2. This is evidence the DOE has no desire to. Sorry.

This is evidence that the DOE has a desire to promote this inequity. We need this bill to ensure fairness and attract educators to our schools. The department and HSTA should not be left alone to solve this problem that they obviously will not solve on their own.

Please, on behalf of over a thousand teachers with prior experience as estimated by HSTA, please get this bill passed and I'm available to answer questions.

Thank you. Are there anyone else wanting to provide to somebody on HB 1202? HSTA.

Sarah Milianta-Laffin for HSTA. Thank you Chair and Vice Chair we stand in support.

Thank you so much. Anyone else? HB 1202 seeing on Members, are there any questions? Okay, seeing none. Recess. Hey. Good afternoon. We are reconvening for decision making on several bills. First up, we have HB249 EOEL and FCILs Members, the recommendation to pass this with the HD1 defecting the date to July 1st. 3000. Questions, comments? Concerns?

Vice Chair for the vote.

Members voting on House Bill 249, Chair's recommendation is to pass with amendments. [Roll Call] Chair, your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you Members. Moving on to HB 429 eel and pre K expansion rated KIKI program. Members, I would like to move this with the HD one blinking out the amounts and positions and folding those into the Committee report and defecting the date. Questions, Comments, Concerns?

Members voting on House Bill 429, Chair's recommendation is to pass with amendments Chair and Vice Chair vote Aye. Any Members wishing to vote no? Any Members voting with reservation? Chair, your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you Members. Moving on to HP439. This is with regards to J1 Teacher Licensure Members, I would like the board and the Department to please try to work together on this.

And so the recommendation is to pass this the HD one starting off Members with section two that's found on paragraph seven, which is found on page six, line six. We'll keep the first sentence which speaks to establishing a visiting International teacher's license and then we'll remove the remainder of that language.

That goes on to page seven, line five. And we'll add a new section that says that the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board shall set licensure requirements for that particular type of license. We'll also add a provision that says the Standards Board shall report back to the Legislature before the next session on how we can better support J1 teachers.

And we will defect the date July 1st. 3000. Questions, comments, concerns Vice Chair for the vote please.

Members voting on House Bill 439, Chair's recommendation is to pass with amendments Chair and Vice Chair vote Aye. Any Members voting no? Any Members voting with reservation? Okay.

Reservations for Representative Moraoka. Any other Members voting with reservation? Okay. Chario recommendation is adopted.

Thank you. Members. Moving on to HB838. This increases the teacher bonuses for those who have completed the National Board certification. Members, I'm recommending passing out HD1, blanking out the amounts in Section 2 as it was alluded to. There's an error. We won't reference those amounts in the Committee report. We'll just leave them blank.

Also on page three, Section four. We'll delete that in its entirety as it's also incorrect. And then we'll defect the date. That should fix everything. Questions, Comments, Concerns? Vice Chair for the vote.

Voting on House Bill 838. Chair's recommendation is to pass with amendment. Share and Vice Chair, vote Aye. Any Members voting no? Any Members voting with reservation? Chair, your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you. Members, Moving on to HB 1202, teacher compensation and recognition of all priorities, years of teaching employment. I would like to pass this with the HD1 defecting the date. Questions, Comments, Concerns? Vice Chair for the vote, please.

Voting on House Bill 1202. Chair's recommendation is to pass with amendments. Share and Vice Chair, vote Aye. Any Members voting with reservation? Any Members voting no? Okay. Chair, your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you. Members, moving on to HB621. Differentials for ells. That's at least what they used to be called. Teachers. Recommendations to pass this with the HD1 defecting the date. Questions? Comments, Concerns? Vice Chair for the vote.

Voting on House Bill 621. Chair's recommendation is to pass with amendments. Chair and Vice Chair, vote Aye. Any Members voting no? Any Members voting with reservation? Chair, your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you. Members. Moving on to HB627, the Department of Education and School Safety measures the recommendations to pass this out, blinking out the amounts and FTEs, folding them into the Committee report and defecting the date to July 1, 3000. Questions, comments, concerns? Vice Chair for the vote.

Members voting on House Bill 6 to 7. Chair's recommendation is to pass with amendments. Chair and Vice Chair, vote Aye. Any Members voting no? Any Members voting with reservation? Okay. Chair, your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you. HB 629, Doe, occupational therapist, physical therapist and speech pathologist. And scope of practice. Members, recommendations to pass this with the HD1 defecting the date. I also want to request that if CPC takes this measure up, they look at the scope of practice concerns that were brought on by DCCA and other entities and that is it.

Questions, Comments, Concerns Pressure for the vote.

Voting on House Bill 629. Chair's recommendation is to pass with amendments. Share and Vice Chair vote Aye. Any Members voting no? Any Members voting with reservation? Chair, your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you. HB763 supporting civics education and DOE schools. Recommendations that passes. Blanking out the amounts and positions, incorporating those into the Committee report and debing the date to July 1st, 3000. Questions, comments, concerns? Vice Chair for the vote, please.

Voting on House Bill763. Chair's recommendation is to pass with amendments. Share and Vice Chair vote Aye. Any Members voting no? Any Members voting reservation? Okay. Chair, your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you. Moving on to HB637, DOE and universal dyslexia screening recommendations. To pass this with a HD1 blinking. We're going to actually add an appropriation section with a blank dollar amount that's not included and we're going to make a recommendation of 750k in the Committee report. That's per Doe's testimony. Then we'll defect the date.

Questions, Comments, Concerns Pressure for the vote.

Voting on House Bill 637. Chair's recommendation is to pass with amendments. Share and Vice Chair vote Aye. Any Members voting no? Any Members voting reservation? Chair, your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you. Members. Moving to HB620. DOE and Brielle literacy Members. There is a Senate Bill that's moving SB 530 that's more aligned with current action within the DOE. Chairs is inclined to gravitate towards that particular proposal. But for now we'll pass this out with the HD1 defecting the date. Questions, Comments, Concerns? Vice Chair for the vote.

Voting on House Bill 620. Chair's recommendation is to pass with amendments. Chair and Vice Chair vote Aye. Any Members voting no? Any Members voting in reservation? Okay. Chair, your recommendations adopted.

Thank you. HB98 DOE and authentic assessments and classroom based measurements recommending HD1 defecting the date. Questions, Comments, Concerns for the vote.

House Voting on House Bill 98. Chair's recommendation is to pass with amendments. Chair and Vice Chair vote Aye. Any Members voting no? Any Members voting on reservation? Chair, your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you. Members. Going on to HB863. This appropriates funds for school supplies for teachers upon request. I really hope that this measure makes it through the entirety of the process. At least if there's not funds available, we can set up the framework that would be a step in the right direction.

Having said that, blanking out the dollar amount adding that to the Committee report and we will defect the date to July 1st, 3000. Questions, comments, concerns? Quick comment. Chair Yes.

I just want to thank the introducer on this measure. I think all of us at the table at some point have contributed to our teachers through donor choose. So having some of these monies available in a bill like this would, I'm sure, offset some of the those costs. So thank you.

Yeah. Love this bill. Thank you. Any other questions, comments, Concerns? Vice Chair for the vote.

Okay. Voting on House Bill 863. Chair's recommendation is to pass with amendment. Chair and Vice Chair vote Aye. Any Members voting no? Any Members voting with reservation? Chair Your recommendation is adopted.

Okay. Thank you. Adjourning.