School board gives
LeMahieu ‘more than
satisfactory’ grade

The superintendent hoped
to get a longer contract, but
the issue is put off until later

---

By Leila Fujimori
lfujimori@starbulletin.com

The state Board of Education gave state schools Superintendent Paul LeMahieu a passing grade last night.

The board evaluated LeMahieu on seven criteria ranging from developing and implementing an accountability system for all professionals to establishing a learning environment that is safe and healthy by providing a full range of student support services.

Previously, the school board made the evaluation twice a year. But this year, it will be done just once.

"In the past, he (LeMahieu) has scored more than satisfactorily," said board Chairman Herbert Watanabe.

Although his contract does not expire until Aug. 31, 2002, LeMahieu had hoped to get a longer contract this year to avoid the busy election season in 2002. But the board did not take up the issue of the superintendent's contract and whether to increase his salary to $150,000 from $90,041.

LeMahieu said he had a "thoughtful discussion" with board members who asked fact-finding questions. He said he was encouraged that board members were delving deeply into issues.

LeMahieu said the school system's performance was "nothing short of remarkable under any circumstances."

But board member Karen Knudsen said the board and LeMahieu agreed to come back later to go over some areas of improvement.

Board member Marilyn Harris said one area of improvement involved e-mail communications with department employees, but noted she understands that it is a major undertaking.

The board met behind closed doors for more than two hours last night before returning to an open meeting to announce the "more than satisfactory" evaluation of LeMahieu's performance.

Watanabe said, "We see progress in the department" in complying with the Felix consent decree and in establishing accountability standards.

"I think the superintendent is doing a really great job," said board member Winston Sakurai.

On complying with the Felix consent decree and assessment of the standards-based education, he said, "I'm pleased with his progress."

Board member Shannon Ajifu said, "I think he's taken us farther than anyone else has in the short period of time."

Board members unanimously selected him in June 1998 from among four finalists to replace outgoing Superintendent Herman Aizawa.

But the current board is different from the one that selected him, with half of the members who voted for him no longer on the board.

School board members disagreed with the criticism launched by state Sen. Sam Slom (R, Hawaii Kai), who had said late last month that LeMahieu's days were numbered.

LeMaheiu has faced trying times within the educational system. He has had to deal with a three-week teachers strike in April which paralyzed the state's public school system. The strike postponed a statewide test that was at the core of his standards-and-accountability reform plans.

He has also been challenged by the schools' need to comply with the Felix consent decree, which requires the schools to provide appropriate educational and mental-health services for special-needs students. A federal judge has been overseeing the state Department of Education to ensure that the decree is carried out.

A special investigative committee, convened by the state Legislature, has been looking into whether the Department of Education and the state Health Department have been spending the millions of dollars on Felix-related costs wisely.

LeMahieu has also been criticized for not being in the schools enough, which is something he would like to change.

But the board gave LeMahieu a more-than-satisfactory evaluation, and Watanabe said there has been progress in complying with the Felix consent decree.

He had hoped to get a longer contract this year to avoid the busy election season in 2002.

LeMahieu, who grew up in Kaaawa after moving here from the mainland, quickly impressed board members during the selection process.

LeMahieu took a $27,000 cut in pay, leaving his $117,000 job as executive director of the Delaware Education Research and Development Center at the University of Delaware to take the $90,041 position.

He was also an associate professor at the University of Delaware.

Educated at the University of Pittsburgh, Harvard and Yale, LeMahieu also served as special undersecretary for education policy, research and development at the Delaware Department of Education.

Board members gave the new superintendent $35,000 in moving expenses from Delaware, of which he used $29,574.84.