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Committee advances resolution sending charter‑school facilities study to State Public Charter School Commission
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Summary
The House Committee on Education passed an amended HCR 11/HR 14 directing the State Public Charter School Commission to study access to stable, suitable and affordable facilities for charter schools, corrected a numeric typo and added DAGS for facilities inventory. The committee adopted HD1 and requested a report prior to the next legislative session.
The House Committee on Education on March 31 voted to advance resolutions HCR 11 and HR 14, directing the State Public Charter School Commission to study ways to increase access to stable, suitable and affordable facilities for public charter schools.
Edna, executive director of the Hawaii Public Charter School Commission, testified in support, saying the proposal is “a very important issue” that has persisted since the charter‑school law passed. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs also provided context, noting prior prioritization work that was contingent on an appropriation and warning charters often operate without a dedicated facilities appropriation and sometimes rely on makeshift structures.
The committee adopted an HD1 that (1) places the State Public Charter School Commission — not the Board of Education — in the lead role, (2) corrects a typographical error in the measure from “1,300” to “13,000” students, (3) changes the requirement from submitting a report to conducting a study and adds a directive that the study’s report be submitted to the legislature prior to the next session, and (4) adds the Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS) to the list of agencies the commission should consult to obtain an updated list of unused or underused state facilities pursuant to HRS 302D‑25.
Committee members recorded a voice vote adopting the recommendation. Chair Woodson summarized the technical edits before the vote and members noted no further questions.
Next steps: The State Public Charter School Commission will conduct the study and submit its report to the legislature per the HD1 timeline; the committee’s action does not appropriate funds. The committee request preserves the commission’s study authority and clarifies which agencies should provide facility inventory information.
