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Lawmakers score
on education

Schools fared well this session,
earning the Legislature good
grades from advocates
and its own members

Hawaiian issues founder in Rice's wake

By Crystal Kua
Star-Bulletin

As a former public schoolteacher, state Rep. Ken Ito (D, Kaneohe) is accustomed to handing out grades.

So when the chairman of the House Education Committee was asked to grade the Legislature on education, he was quick to respond.

"A+," Ito replied spiritedly.

While others were not as generous, people who follow education issues generally gave lawmakers above-average marks.

"I generally think we did a lot better than we did in recent years. We made specific changes and improvements," said Sen. Sam Slom (R, Hawaii Kai), a member of the Senate Education Committee. "But we still have a long way to go."

He gave the so-called "Education Legislature" a B-. "This is one of the better things we did this year."

An improving economic outlook, confidence in state schools Superintendent Paul LeMahieu, common goals of the chairmen of the education committees, and this being an election year are cited as reasons public schools did well this year.

Education this year was tied to the word accountability, one of the critical elements in LeMahieu's standards-based education reform. He wants to set up a system of rewards, assistance and sanctions to hold schools accountable for student achievement.

Passage of LeMahieu's accountability bill is mentioned as a coup even with the criticism surrounding the compromise that led to a final version that does not include an exemption from collective bargaining.

But the bill is something all sides said they could work with.

"We're satisfied and pleased," said Karen Ginoza, president of the Hawaii State Teachers Association. "The bills that we have, we would be able to work with and move forward with on accountability, and that's promising."

Carl Takamura, executive director of the Hawaii Business Roundtable who lobbied in favor of the collective bargaining exemption, said the bill gives LeMahieu the tools necessary for change.

"The main point was to develop accountability with all the stakeholders," Takamura said, referring to those with a stake in public education including teachers, principals, parents, students, unions and community members. "When we get to the implementation stage, in regards to specific personnel, collective bargaining should apply."

Takamura also noted that the Legislature approved all three main pieces of LeMahieu's reform measures: accountability, administrative authority and fiscal authority over federal subsidies.

"These were things important to the superintendent," said Takamura, who gave lawmakers an A- or a B+. "I thought generally they were very supportive."

Slom said that LeMahieu -- in his second year of lobbying lawmakers -- was able to push his measures through.

"I think the Legislature was sizing him up for a year," Slom said. "I think he's learned to be much more of a diplomat and a politician."

Economy aided 'catch-up'

Board of Education Chairman Mitsugi Nakashima said the general public generally sees LeMahieu in a positive light. "He's engendered a lot of positive vibrations in the community."

Nakashima said he does not believe that the collective bargaining controversy over accountability will taint that perception, and he credits the Legislature for bringing the parties together to come up with a compromise.

"There was no denying the fact a lot of the people in the rank and file were not happy with what was transpiring," Nakashima said. "The Legislature said, 'You've got to get together.' ... To me it was a critical test of the resolve of the Legislature. Otherwise it would have been business as usual." He gave lawmakers a B.

More public school funding can also be attributed to a rosier economic forecast.

"The economy is getting better. We have more funds available to renew our commitment," Senate Education Committee Chairman David Ige said.

Slom said that some initiatives -- such as $45 million more for repair and maintenance -- were neglected in the past.

"It shows that we've been lax. We could have and should have done it for years, and it would have cost the taxpayers a lot less to do so," he said. "I think that was part of it, catch-up."

Ginoza did not feel comfortable about giving a grade to lawmakers, abiding by the adage "It ain't over till it's over."

"I think in general, the way it stands, we're pleased in getting their support."

She pointed to funding for 167 positions in the so-called Every Child Counts campaign to count special-education students in the general classroom tally, although the union was pushing for 400 positions. "That means we will not take care of all the teachers who have special-education students."

The Legislature also reduced the student-to-teacher ratio to 20-to-1 in kindergarten through second grade, an issue the union has been lobbying for since classroom size went up a few years ago.

But she was concerned that more funding was not going to be appropriated for charter schools, meaning fixed costs for new charter schools will have to be carried by the department's current budget.

Ginoza said both the House and Senate were on the same wavelength this year when it came to education issues. Some say that is the result of the work of the Education Committee chairmen.

Nakashima said that in previous years individual legislators would be working on their own agendas for education, and this year the lawmakers' view coincided with the department's and the board's.

He said the big test would come after the election as the next Legislature fashions the budget to see whether lawmakers follow through with the commitment it made this year. "It's the next two years that are going to be important."

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