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Everything you need
to know about ‘WSF’

The Reinventing Education Act mandates that public schools in Hawaii (with the possible exception of charter schools) receive funding via a method called Weighted Student Funding (WSF) by 2006-07. Let's look at some frequently asked questions about WSF.

Question: How does WSF differ from the current system?

Answer: Currently, schools receive funding as staffing positions based on enrollment. Under WSF schools will receive funding in dollars based on characteristics that effect learning exhibited by each student attending the school.

Q: What are these characteristics?

A: Three characteristics were identified by a Committee on Weights (made up of teachers, principals and parents). They are economic disadvantage (as evidenced by a student's eligibility for free or reduced lunch program), lack of English proficiency and special education. Since educating students with these characteristics requires more resources, these characteristics are "weighted" over and above the base per-pupil funding for all students. The committee's recommendation is a .10 weight in addition to the base amount for an low-income student, a .23 weight for limited English speakers and a 0 weight for special education students since special education money is distributed to schools using a federal court-approved formula.

Adjustments in funding will also be made for small schools and possibly for types of schools, i.e. elementary, middle or high school.

Q: Are other characteristics considered?

A: The committee identified three other characteristics for study: gifted and talented, at-risk and mobility/transiency (students such as military children who must often change schools). Characteristics to be weighted and the weight attached to the characteristic will be reviewed yearly.

Q: Will there be an increase in funding with WSF?

A: No, WSF is a system for distributing funding. It does not increase the amount of funds approved by the Legislature and released by the governor.

Q: What happens next?

A: The Committee on Weights reported its recommendations to the Board of Education last month, but more work needs to be done. Test models of WSF show an elementary school with 6 percent economically disadvantaged students gaining 8 percent in funding, while a middle school with 63 percent disadvantaged students loses 23 percent in funding.

Q: What problems are solved by WSF?

A: WSF is an instrument for minimizing inequities in funding within and among school districts. Since Hawaii is a unitary district with statewide funding, schools in wealthier areas in Hawaii have no more funding because of their location than schools in poorer areas. Often WSF is coupled with school choice as a way of promoting school improvement. In other words, a child whose family is dissatisfied with a school can transfer the child, and his or her weighted funding moves with the child to the new school. In Hawaii, however, school choice is not a component of WSF.

Supporters of WSF say it brings greater transparency to school funding if the district education office can provide stable and reliable financial forecasts, budget figures and expenditures. In numerous reports, the Hawaii state auditor has questioned whether the Department of Education can accurately account for expenditures by location, function and program given its accounting systems.

Q: Will WSF solve Hawaii's education problems?

A: To answer this, we need to look at another Act 51 mandate that gives principals control over 70 percent of the DOE's operating budget. WSF funding monies will be part of this 70 percent.

Is this "smoke and mirrors," as some critics describe it, or will these Act 51 provisions lead to true education reform? We'll look at this in next month's column.

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