BOE seeks WAIMEA, Hawaii >> The state Board of Education has voted to request an additional $55.6 million for fiscal year 2003 to pay for growth in the school system, including programs for special needs "Felix" children.
additional funding
for Felix students
The board will ask for $55.6
more for the 2003 fiscal yearBy Rod Thompson
rthompson@starbulletin.comThe request approved last night must also be approved by the state Department of Budget and Finance, the governor, and the Legislature.
Board member Karen Knudsen, chairwoman of the board's budget committee, was asked if the state will have the needed money in view of the deterioration of the economy after the East Coast terrorism attacks.
She said it would be premature to try to anticipate now what the economic changes will be. The $55.6 million represents a 4.6 percent increase in the $1.2 billion already budgeted for fiscal year 2003.
It includes a $14 million addition to the Felix Response Plan. Funding of that portion of the increase is assured, she said.
Schools superintendent Paul LeMahieu noted that Gov. Ben Cayetano previously said the $28.5 million saved from salaries not paid during the teachers' strike this spring is being held in reserve for Felix needs in case other funding is not available.
Another part of the increase is $6.35 million for the growth in charter schools.
The $55.6 million is slightly less than the $60 million that Knudsen's budget committee initially considered, which was a decrease from still higher amounts requested by schools around the state.
But Knudsen said the requested amount is "adequate" to do what is needed.
"It's not things that are frivolous," she said.
The Board also approved $1.7 million in additional operating money for the state library system for the new library at Kapolei.
It also approved $3.5 million in construction funds for health and safety improvements at state libraries.
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