The Lingle administration again rejected a $35 million proposal by the teachers union and state Board of Education to increase instruction time at public schools by seven days ending in June.

But Lingle's senior policy adviser, Linda Smith, said yesterday the administration wants to continue talks with the school board and education officials to develop a more comprehensive plan for eliminating Furlough Fridays through June 2011.

She said the administration wants to add more instruction time than the board-union proposal and was hoping to meet today with board and Education Department officials.

Smith said she hopes the employers group, including the administration and Education Department, is able to agree on a new proposal with the Hawaii State Teachers Association prior to the next Furlough Friday on Jan. 15.

“;We know time is of the essence. ... We want to get the kids back into the classroom quickly,”; Smith said.

  Governor Lingle rejects furlough deal

 

The school board chairman is calling it a 'devastating setback for public education.'

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Board Chairman Garrett Toguchi said he was disappointed the administration rejected the proposal, but said he is willing to continue talks.

“;If they're willing to go back to the table and come up with a proposal, we're more than happy to continue meeting,”; Toguchi said.

Toguchi said he feared that further delays could jeopardize the Department of Education's chances of receiving competitive grant funding from the federal Race To the Top program.

The federal grant could total between $20 million and $75 million, state education officials said.

Under the proposal, the state would have provided five additional instruction days by giving $35 million through the rainy day fund and the union would have converted two teachers' planning days into instructional days.

Late last year, administration officials said their goal was to use $50 million from the rainy day fund to restore 12 instructional days ending in 2011 and for the remaining days to be switched from planning days.

Smith said Lingle representatives, including Human Resources Director Marie Laderta and Budget Director Georgina Kawamura, met for about an hour and a half yesterday to listen to details about prior talks between the union and state education board and officials.

“;I think it was very good for us to go over the details,”; Smith said.

Smith said one goal is to determine the essential personnel to open schools for instruction and determine their costs. The board and the administration have reached different estimates on the cost of a school day.

“;We want to restore as many days as possible,”; Smith said. “;We want to hammer out how much we can actually offer.”;

Toguchi said Lingle's previous proposal was “;obviously not workable”; and if the governor insists on it he see no progress being made in negotiations.