Lei Ahu Isa

Party: Nonpartisan

Age: 65

Job: Business Professor at Hawaii Pacific University.

Born in Honolulu, HI. In Hawaii from birth

Lives: Downtown

Contact: 808-381-4325, leiahuisa@yahoo.com

Web site: www.leiahuisa.com

Job history past 10 years:
Hawaii Pacific University 1996-2008. Hilton Grand Vacations Club 1999-2008. Department of Education Adult Education Instruction for Chinese Immigrant Citizenship classes 2003-2004.

Ever run for public office? When? Outcome?
Honolulu City Council 1994 Lost to Jon Yoshimura. Hawaii State House of Representatives 1996-2002 Won seat. Board of Education 2002-2008 Won seat.

Other civic experience or community service:
Board of Trustees- Palama Settlement. OHA's Native Hawaiian Revolving Fund Board. YWCA Leadership Luncheon VP. University of Hawaii Homecoming Chr. Kamehameha Lions Club.

Anything else you'd like voters to know about you?
I have a son, daughter and a grandson. Mom stills drives at 93! Brother Tim is a doctor at Pali Momi, brother Elwin is Pastor at New Hope, brother Norm, an elec.engr/CPA with Verizon, now at DCCA.

1) Why are you running for office?
What's more frustrating than trying to convince people that our schools need help, or trying to live with the fact that most people just do not care. It took 4 years for me to get a grip on this huge bureaucratic system. There is still more to do and I need to be there. I especially need to be there to give balance and equity to the Board.

2) How should the DOE deal with budget cuts? Where should reductions occur?
The DOE should be an expert at this since all they've ever had were budget cuts. You wonder why the public perceives it as 'broken'. If the answers have been cutting music, fine arts, and P.E., then are we now to cut junior varsity athletics? Hello, there is only one PIE. No matter how many ways it's sliced you still come out with one pie. Tough decisions need to be made but consequences are DIRE!

3) How should the DOE modify its school funding formula to more fairly distribute money to schools?
Get rid of ACT 51 Student Weighted Formula. Authority was given to Principals for funding of their schools. Why are we pressuring our Principals to do this? i.e. If you receive more weights (more $) for a special ed student which can 'buy' another teacher, why accept a gifted and talented student who brings you only one weight? Why not have G.E. for students who can bring you more weights and $?

4) How should a teacher drug-testing program be administered and funded?
There is an HSTA lawsuit against the State/DOE, and a counter lawsuit by the State/DOE against HSTA. Until the lawsuits are ruled upon, this question is mute. All I know is that an unconstitutional issue should not have been included as a collective bargaining issue. Does this jeopardize the 11% pay raises? In difficult economic times, one must be careful of going back to renegotiate raises.

5) How many children do you have, and did they attend public or private school?
My son and daughter graduated from the Kamehameha Schools (great school), but my grandson graduated from Moanalua High School (another great school). As for myself, I am a proud graduate of Waipahu High School after attending Kalihi-Kai and Kalakaua Intermediate, all GREAT schools in those days. There are also GREAT schools today, both public and private, and we should use them as possible models

6) What's the No. 1 initiative you would pursue in 2009?
Increasing the percentage of graduating seniors is a priority. Student achievement is tied into a learning environment that follows Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs: First, take care of their physical needs-food, air conditioning, excercise. Second, place them in a safe environment. The rest follows with highly effective and qualified teachers. Our students can succeed and achieve graduation diplomas.