Senate committee backs state funding for teacher-requested classroom supplies

The Senate Committee on Education voted to pass Senate Bill 1391 with amendments on Jan. 31, sending the measure to committee report with technical changes and a blanked appropriation amount.

The bill would appropriate funds to the Department of Education to support teacher-requested classroom supplies, including requests placed through the DonorsChoose online platform. Supporters told the committee the proposal would relieve teachers who now buy materials from their own pockets.

“My classroom could not run without the supplies that I've got from DonorsChoose,” said Sarah Melianza Lappin, testifying on behalf of the Hawaii State Teachers Association. Lappin described using DonorsChoose since 2006 to acquire items ranging from 3-D printers and TVs to pencil sharpeners and student snacks.

Several student testifiers described teachers’ financial burdens. “It is completely unfair for a student's quality of education to be determined by how much money the teacher has to buy supplies,” said Mackenzie Brammer, a senior at Kalaheo High School.

The committee’s written recommendation blanks the appropriation amount but notes in the committee report that the Department of Education requested $3,000,000; the recommended effective date was later changed in committee paperwork to July 1, 2050. The committee recorded a roll-call adopting the recommendation (4 ayes, 1 excused). No formal amendments to change program mechanics were made on the record at the hearing.

Supporters said the funding would allow teachers to request the specific materials they need, rather than buying lowest-cost substitutes, and would cover a range of classroom needs. The Department of Education offered written testimony in support and was present to answer procedural questions.

The measure will move forward with the committee’s recommended technical amendments and a placeholder for the appropriation.