More data sought
on school planA state committee is gathering
opinions for a plan to decentralize
the school system
Teachers, administrators and parents told a Lingle administration committee yesterday they need more information about a proposal to decentralize the public school system before deciding whether to support the move.
Most of the 30 who attended the Citizens Achieving Reform in Education meeting at Maili Elementary School said they were concerned about how decentralization would affect school government, fiscal responsibility and the amount of money spent per student.
"I don't think they shared any detailed information on how all this is going to work," said Leihoku Elementary School Principal Randall Miura. "I just need more information."
Peggy Spafford, a teacher at Waianae Elementary School, agreed but said she is still open to idea that calls for reform.
"I think people would like change, but at the same time they're cautious," she said.
The 22-member committee Citizens Achieving Reform in Education hopes to take comments garnered from 10 open forums scheduled for this month and incorporate them into the proposal.
Only two of the committee's members spoke at yesterday's forum, and only a handful were present.
Laura Thielen, a member of the governor's committee and the state Board of Education, said it is too early to give many details on how the system would work. She said the committee is working on the proposal and will use information gained from past state Department of Education studies and the forums to come up with the system's structure.
"You cannot govern 280 schools across seven islands from a single Board of Education located in Honolulu," she said. "We're trying to come up with a plan. But we don't want to dictate what goes on at the schools."
The committee hopes to set up locally elected school boards throughout the islands that would be closer to schools and would more able to make informed decisions about how they should be run, Thielen said.
Right now, "we're struggling with the right place," she said. "How far is far enough away but close enough to be effective?"
The local boards would have the power to hire and fire area superintendents. Also under the proposed plan, schools would be able to decide how to allocate a bigger portion of their money, Thielen said.
The governor would appoint the members of the state Board of Education, whose primary task would be setting minimum academic standards.
"My biggest concern is that it's being sold as decentralizing, but yet the governor wants to appoint the state Board of Education," said Makaha Elementary teacher Tony Turbeville. "I'm skeptically watching."
The committee's next meeting is scheduled for 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Monday at Koko Head Elementary School.
