The crowd in Conference Room 211 has spilled outside its doors this morning at the Capitol Building. (Thanks, Chad, for that update.)

The House Ways and Means Committee is holding public decision-making on a bill that would require the Ed Dept. to establish a controversial evaluation system for educators.

The teachers union opposes the measure, but the state sees it as a necessary move in part because Race to the Top funding is at stake. The feds are here through the end of the week reviewing Hawaii’s progress on the $75 million federal grant.

I hope to put a piece together based on the outcome of today’s action at the Ledge, so check out Civil Beat later this week for details.