Few parents have applied for transfers under the federal No Child Left Behind law, according to preliminary figures submitted to the state Department of Education. Few students transfer
under new federal lawStar-Bulletin staff
The exact numbers are still being compiled, but in the Honolulu District, only 20 parents from eight eligible schools have applied to transfer to better-performing schools, said Elaine Takenaka, who is in charge of carrying out the No Child Left Behind programs.
Two schools, the Hawaiian language immersion Anuenue School and Kalihi Elementary School, had no parents apply to transfer.
The No Child Left Behind law requires the state Department of Education to identify schools in low-income areas that are not showing improvement and pay for transportation for students to go to better schools or to get tutoring and other supplemental services to improve their education.
Officials have budgeted $6 million for the program -- $3 million for transportation and $3 million for supplemental services. Some of the money for transportation may instead be used for other services, Takenaka said.
She said the Department of Education is hoping to offer tutoring and other services by Oct. 28, the beginning of the second quarter of the school year. However, the state must still negotiate and sign contracts with companies that would like to provide those services.
Before the state can negotiate a contract, two panels made up of parents, teachers and other education experts must approve the companies that want to provide the services.
So far, Takenaka said, the panels have not approved service providers.
One panel is to meet later this week, she said.
Takenaka said some of the providers want to offer online tutoring, which would help students in rural areas and neighbor islands who do not have as much access to tutors as those in urban areas.
State DOE: No Child Left Behind
U.S. DOE: No Child Left Behind
