Bill Text: HI SCR186 | 2010 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Status Report: STEM; Robotics

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2010-04-12 - (H) Referred to EBM, EDN, referral sheet 67 [SCR186 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2010-SCR186-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3078

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.C.R. No. 186

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committees on Education and Housing and Economic Development and Technology and Higher Education, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 186 entitled:

 

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING A STATUS REPORT AND UPDATE ON THE STEM, RESEARCH EXPERIENCES FOR TEACHERS – MIDDLE SCHOOL, PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL AND SPATIAL TECHNOLOGY, AND ROBOTICS PROGRAMS WITHIN PUBLIC SCHOOLS,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to request a status report on the economic impact of expanded workforce development outcomes, and an update on the STEM, Research Experiences for Teachers – Middle School, Project Environmental and Spatial Technology, and robotics programs within public schools, with a report to the 2011 Legislature.

 

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of Education; Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Women in Technology; and four individuals responsible for aspects of the STEM-related programs.

 

     Written testimony presented to the Committees may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

     Your Committees find that the STEM initiatives launched in 2007 have been highly successful, providing expanded learning opportunities for thousands of public school students throughout the State, and involving untold numbers of private sector supporters and mentors.  For example, participation in robotics has expanded dramatically in three years, from ninety-five programs in early 2007, to 422 programs today attracting 3,000 students in public, charter, and private schools statewide.  And Project EAST, which began in a handful of neighbor island public schools, has expanded to fifteen schools statewide and served over 4,400 students from middle school through grade twelve.  Even more impressive, nearly one hundred per cent of EAST participants plan to attend college, and over sixty per cent plan STEM-related majors.

 

     Your Committees commend the agencies – both public and private – that have been instrumental in the success of these programs and believe that the reporting requested by this measure will provide the agencies and the individuals involved with an opportunity to further highlight their successes and their plans for the continued expansion of these programs.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Amending the title to read:  "REQUESTING REPORTS ON THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF EXPANDED WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT CAPACITY AND STEM INITIATIVES";

 

     (2)  Clarifying that the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism report on the growth and economic value of emerging industries in defense and dual-use, astronomy, engineering, aquaculture, biotech, digital media, and related industries, in addition to its report on STEM initiatives;

 

     (3)  Adding Hi-EST and FIRST academies to the program reports;

 

     (4)  Requiring written reports, including recommendations for long-term expansion and funding requirements; and

 

     (5)  Making technical amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Housing and Economic Development and Technology and Higher Education that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 186, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 186, S.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Housing and Economic Development and Technology and Higher Education,

 

____________________________ CAROL FUKUNAGA, Chair		____________________________ NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair
		____________________________ JILL TOKUDA, Chair