My wife and I and our children—now adults—went to public schools. From firsthand experience, we know that there are many good things happening in our schools. That is not to say that we cannot improve and strive for overall excellence. We must.

Public education is the backbone of our democracy and economy. Everyone benefits from a high-performing public education system. We all have a role in this.

I believe most students can do well in public schools. But we must keep them motivated and we must convince parents that our schools are safe and provide a stimulating environment for learning.

And we must engage our teachers and principals in the governance of our schools, with minimum interference from an educational bureaucracy.

It is encouraging to hear about Hawaii's education issues in the political campaign, because the education of our children must be the highest priority.

Here are my priorities:

» Master Teachers: Too often, in the quest for better pay, we lose great teachers to the administrative line. Sometimes, great teachers become mediocre principals. We can't afford to lose great teachers. We can't afford mediocre principals. We need to create a “;Master Teacher”; category, with pay on par with the administrators.

» Principal training: The skill set for principals is very different from those needed in the classroom. They need the passion to lead others to excellence. Principals should be trained as administrators, and we should give them the tools and resources they need. If they do their job well, teachers and students will excel.

» High expectations: Parents need to be engaged in their children's education. Especially in the middle and high school years, parents frequently become bystanders in the educational process. The schools should welcome parental involvement. The schools should expect more parental support, and parents will be emboldened to expect the best from our schools. By setting our expectations at a higher level, we can strengthen our schools and improve outcomes.

» Collective bargaining flexibility: Most of our teachers are doing a wonderful job under very challenging circumstances. Those who aren't should be helped to achieve success. The Hawaii State Teachers Association is an important stakeholder and should be ensuring that professional standards remain high. It can and should be one of the loudest voices advocating effective reform and high performing schools for the benefit of our children. It is time for the union to reflect on whether its actions and policies are truly aligned with that goal. Our schools deserve flexibility to effect meaningful changes in a timely manner. The HSTA's continued cooperation and leadership is critical to realizing success.

» Accountability: We all need to take responsibility for the performance of our students. Gubernatorial candidate Neil Abercrombie's bold plan to decentralize authority to the principals, but hold the governor and his superintendent accountable, is a step in the right direction.

There is no greater investment than our commitment to the education of our children. We can do better, and I encourage all parents to get involved in our public schools.

Alan Oshima is an attorney and business consultant.