Advertisement - Click to support our sponsors.

By Ken Ige, Star-Bulletin
Bridget Kanakaole collects lunch money from Kaiulani
Elementary School students. As a parent liaison, she is
someone parents can turn to when they are not
comfortable talking to principals or teachers.

Cayetano and the BOE want to
restore education basics, but their
approaches vary greatly

Key differences between the school
board's and governor's plans

---

By Crystal Kua
Star-Bulletin

WITH about 12 kids to each computer, Makakilo Elementary could benefit from a $27.5 million proposal by Gov. Ben Cayetano to get more computers into the public schools.

But boosting computer numbers is not a budget priority for the Department of Education.

Bridget Kanakaole -- who welcomes homeless kids with a bag of school supplies on the first day of school at Kaiulani Elementary -- wants to see all schools in the state benefit from having a parent liaison like her so parents and their children feel more comfortable about school.

The department also thinks the idea is worthwhile and wants to spend $1.4 million more in its budget to expand Parent Community Networking Centers, which are not in the governor's budget.

Computers vs. parents. Wants vs. needs. Responsibility vs. efficiency.

Compare the different ways the governor and the Department of Education are looking to spend taxpayers' money on education for the next two years.

You will see the direction each side hopes to take the public school system.

The administration's budget wants to restore the basics of education through more technology, textbooks and renovated classrooms and other school buildings.

The department wants to do the same thing by seizing on better economic times to bolster test scores, make schools more accountable for student learning, improve special-education services and churn out and keep good teachers and principals.

The department is asking the Legislature for $164 million more to add to its $1 billion budget over the next two years to fund nearly 100 budget items.

The governor's request of $334 million more for the coming two years includes $4.5 million in textbooks along with $27.5 million for computers and related infrastructure to lower the statewide student-computer ratio to 4-to-1 from 6-to-1.

The governor also wants to spend more than $290 million in the separate capital improvement budget for repair and maintenance at the schools.

The Legislature -- which has to look at the entire state fiscal picture -- historically has come up with a budget that falls somewhere between what the department and the governor want.

"I would say the department's budget is more needs-based and the governor's is more initiative-based," said Karen Knudsen, Board of Education Budget Committee chairwoman.

The department used a $20 million lump sum set aside by the governor to shore up areas like standards and accountability not funded in the executive budget.

State Budget Director Neal Miyahira said the governor is "looking at strategic initiatives to help jump-start the schools."

But the governor also sets out in this request to show the "true cost" of education. It is something the executive branch began doing last year -- pulling out department-related health, pension, Social Security and debt service items totaling $217 million, which another department will eventually end up paying.

The executive budget also includes $42 million for the transfer of the state Department of Health's child mental health services to the Department of Education.

"Any kind of additional (computer) hardware would be a benefit," Makakilo Elementary Principal Gary Chun said.

Felix decree complicates matters

But along with computers, technology funding should also include training for teachers, maintenance and upkeep, and possible funds for technology coordinators, Chun said.

Makakilo Elementary has 625 students with roughly 20 computers in a computer lab, two to three computers in each classroom and related components such as printers. "We wanted to be in tune with the Internet," he said.

The school has been replacing older computers with newer ones through fund raising and disciplined budgeting, Chun said.

While helpful, computers are not a cure-all. Chun said what his school really needs help with is support for the basics: teachers and reading.

"There are so many things that are needed," Chun said.

Complicating the budget picture is the Felix consent decree, the federal court mandate to improve educational and mental health services to special-needs students.

The department says it needs $153 million to comply with the court order over the next two years or else face further sanctions from U.S. District Judge David Ezra. The bulk includes requests for people: $111 million for special-education teachers, educational assistants and support services.

"I'm hoping that by making sure we meet the Felix requirements that we're not taking away from others. It is a responsibility we have, but we need to make sure education for everyone remains solidly on the front burner," Knudsen said.

The governor's Felix request is basically a pared-down version of the department's request, or $86 million.

While Felix budget items are considered "nondiscretionary," or must-fund, "it doesn't mean that adjustments can't be done more efficiently," Miyahira said.

Labor settlement is awaited

The unknown factor in the budget formula is collective bargaining raises.

The teachers union, the Hawaii State Teachers Association, is still negotiating with the state for a new contract. The teachers are asking for a 22 percent raise, while the state has said it could afford 9 percent to 11 percent.

"We're in the process of negotiating with teachers. We're trying to get a settlement we can afford, and we're looking at some strategic concessions," Miyahira said.

And 14.5 percent arbitrated raises awarded to the Hawaii Government Employees Association still have not been approved by the Legislature. The union represents principals and other white-collar school support workers.

Kanakaole said that Parent Community Networking Center facilitators like herself are the people parents can turn to or talk to when they do not feel comfortable turning to the principal or the teachers. They help to bridge the gap between the home and the school.

Kanakaole, whose daughter used to attend Kaiulani Elementary, has been lauded for her work in helping homeless families feel more connected to the school.

She said that if teachers and principals get their pay raises, money left over should go to fund Parent Community Networking Centers positions because parents are just as important as teachers and principals in a child's academic success.

"Without the parents, you don't have kids. Without the kids, you don't have teachers," Kanakaole said.

---

Budget request:
Education Board vs. Governor

SCHOOL-BASED BUDGETING

	BOE 2002	Gov 2002	BOE 2003	Gov 2003
	$	$	$	$
Teachers for regular education enrollment change	-2,067,430	-444,926	-3,114,230	-1,711,612
Salary adjustment (Gov proposal)	0	3,100,000	0	3,100,000
Salary adjustment (Gov lump sum)	0	904,085	0	900,085
New Century Public Charter Schools fixed cost of staffing for projected 3 elementary, 3 intermediate, 17 high schools	6,815,183	0	6,815,183	0
Clerical staffing to meet 1990 study standards	6,798,320	0	6,758,070	0
Principal bonus for staying 3 years at same school (contractual agreement to submit request for bonus)	842,472	0	842,472	0
Contract for school safety managers for secondary schools	3,318,000	0	3,318,000	0
Campus supervision and patrol. Updated training, alarm monitoring, and personnel	998,286	0	1,036,486	0
Reduce computer ratio to 4-1 from 6-1 (Gov proposal)	0	21,300,000	0	21,300,000
Hawaiian Language Immersion teachers, substitutes, tuition waivers, bus subsidies, personal service contracts	672,738	0	672,738	0
Textbooks (Gov proposal)	0	4,500,000	0	0
Computer infrastructure and training (Gov proposal)	0	6,200,000	0	0
Parent Community Networking Center resource teacher, part-time positions for 50 schools in 2002 and another 45 schools in 2003.	805,744	0	1,288,676	0
Workersí compensation medical evaluations, wage loss benefits and special compensation fund	1,800,000	0	1,800,000	0
English for Second Language Learners staffing ratios	499,956	0	578,466	0
Health fund premiums (to be transferred to expending department)	0	13,049,029	0	25,133,328
Pension accumulation (to be transferred to expending department)	0	42,512,561	0	41,852,121
Social security (to be transferred to expending department)	0	7,122,515	0	8,096,220
Debt service (to be transferred to expending department)	0	31,108,178	0	50,350,759
SCHOOL-BASED TOTAL	37,613,243	143,908,607	40,343,914	143,764,662

SCHOOL SUPPORT

	BOE 2002	Gov 2002	BOE 2003	Gov 2003
	$	$	$	$
School custodial services such as supplies, increase in costs, restroom supplies for vandalism, new hire safety equipment and supplies; swimming pool maintenance chemicals, training of custodian; supplies	5,752,518	356,405	5,778,175	0
Restore classroom cleaners funding statewide	1,857,960	0	1,857,960	0
Repairs and maintenance of schools	1,040,000	520,000	1,040,000	520,000
SCHOOL SUPPORT TOTAL	11,389,579	2,651,224	13,422,448	2,875,304

SPECIAL-EDUCATION SERVICES

	BOE 2002	Gov 2002	BOE 2003	Gov 2003
	$	$	$	$
Teachers and EAs for projected special ed enrollment increases	10,044,100	-4,481,863	14,229,430	-16,838,275
Special-education summer schoolís extended school year enrollment increase	884,413	0	884,413	0
Assistive technology services and equipment for students with disabilities	738,190	0	752,105	0
Contract evaluation serviceís projected shortfall for DOH therapeutic facilities, in-state and out-of-state placement	3,209,805	0	3,209,805	0
Expansion of program on Effective/Positive Behavioral Supports which was piloted using federal funds	994,465	0	1,091,834	0
School based mental health services transfer from Department of Health	0	21,510,474	0	21,510,474
SPECIAL-EDUCATION TOTAL	17,973,669	17,754,314	22,402,278	19,639,791

INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT

	BOE 2002	Gov 2002	BOE 2003	Gov 2003
	$	$	$	$
INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT TOTAL	214,228	123,292	202,228	142,628

STATE AND DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION

	BOE 2002	Gov 2002	BOE 2003	Gov 2003
	$	$	$	$
Superintendent salary increase as allowed by law	59,959	0	59,959	0
Salary increase for deputy, assistant superintendents, district superintendents, district deputies in same proportion as superintendent	1,009,042	0	1,009,042	0
Compensation for educational officers obtaining advanced degrees (contractual agreement to submit request)	582,938	0	582,938	0
School administrator training program to train and certify new administrators	1,804,462	1,596,862	2,404,471	1,466,153
Integrated student information system to replace manual/stand-alone systems	428,592	0	3,291,533	0
Second and third year of a five-year plan to develop and implement a new Human Resource system	3,718,445	0	2,814,245	0
STATE AND DISTRICT TOTAL	9,035,904	2,347,900	11,601,186	1,947,149

FELIX RESPONSE PLAN

	BOE 2002	Gov 2002	BOE 2003	Gov 2003
	$	$	$	$
Extended school year	6,510,708	3,030,000	6,510,708	3,030,000
Integrated special-education database	2,164,722	518,000	1,814,722	518,000
School-based services	5,715,656	236,501	5,715,656	236,501
Targeted technical assistance	575,950	0	575,950	0
Maui District	756,930	58,000	756,930	58,000
Recruitment and retention	17,558,841	15,800,000	16,148,216	15,800,000
Services for Children with Autism	1,895,860	2,460,000	1,895,860	2,460,000
Coordinated services academy	1,610,687	704,940	1,610,687	704,940
Educational assistants	17,322,033	4,700,000	20,675,883	4,700,000
Related support services	21,007,956	12,318,184	20,427,909	12,318,184
Additional requirements	0	2,373,363	0	2,373,363
FELIX RESPONSE PLAN TOTAL	76,148,919	43,253,988	77,182,697	43,253,988