Education reform bills
meet House approval

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By B.J. Reyes
Associated Press

House lawmakers yesterday gave final approval to a pair of education reform measures that would abolish the state board of education and establish 15 local school boards, each with its own area superintendent.

The measures include a constitutional amendment that would approve the education reforms and a bill that details how the school governance would be implemented.

In addition to the local superintendents, the governor would be required to appoint a state superintendent of education who would be responsible for establishing statewide educational policy.

Supporters of the reforms say they will provide more accountability among schools and give communities a greater stake in education.

"The board of education is disconnected from regular people," said Majority Whip Rep. Brian Schatz (D, Makiki-Tantalus-Manoa). And, he said, the state's educational system is too bureaucratic. "We currently have so many agencies, departments, bodies and individuals in charge of the system that, effectively, no one is in charge."

House Minority Leader Galen Fox (R, Waikiki), said he opposed the constitutional amendment because it does not specifically state that local school boards would be elected.

The House also approved a bill that would require elected officials to step down upon being convicted of a crime, rather than upon the date of sentencing, and a bill requiring the state Department of Health to disclose prior criminal histories of prospective residents to adult residential care home operators under certain circumstances.

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