Editorials

[ OUR OPINION ]

State passes a milestone
in special education

THE ISSUE All public schools have reached compliance with the Felix consent decree.

THE state Department of Education can enjoy a good amount of relief as it cleared one of the final hurdles on the arduous road toward improving special education. Although the state will remain under the scrutiny of the federal court for another year, the end is in sight with every public school now in compliance with the Felix consent decree.

Although they were compelled to do so because of a lawsuit, education officials should be commended for their efforts, particularly former schools superintendent Paul LeMahieu as well as his successor, Patricia Hamamoto, who as LeMahieu's deputy was the point person on Felix compliance issues. LeMahieu, whose personal entanglements led to his resignation last year, is credited with leading an all-out effort to bring public schools up to standards.

Since 1994, when the state was placed under court supervision as the result of a suit brought on behalf of Jennifer Felix and other special-needs children, education officials have been forging together the services and practices necessary for their education, as required by federal law. This week, schools in Waianae and on Lanai, where reaching compliance was difficult due to geography and the number of special education students, finally achieved provisional status. This means they must still make presentations to show how they will sustain services. However, the department appears to have accomplished its objectives.

The decree has dominated the public education agenda for close to a decade and has cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars. Special education will continue to draw a significant portion of the state budget -- about $340 million a year.

Coupled with stiff requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act and dwindling revenues, the state faces immense funding problems as the Board of Education is considering a budget of more than $1.9 billion.

Governor Lingle and the state Legislature can anticipate a struggle as attention swings back to regular education needs. However, with federal supervision still in place, the challenges for special education will persist and standards so long in coming must be maintained.

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Published by Oahu Publications Inc., a subsidiary of Black Press.

Don Kendall, Publisher

Frank Bridgewater, Editor 529-4791; fbridgewater@starbulletin.com
Michael Rovner, Assistant Editor 529-4768; mrovner@starbulletin.com
Lucy Young-Oda, Assistant Editor 529-4762; lyoungoda@starbulletin.com

Mary Poole, Editorial Page Editor, 529-4748; mpoole@starbulletin.com
John Flanagan, Contributing Editor 294-3533; jflanagan@starbulletin.com

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