Editorial
Don't let criticism hamper Felix mission

The state's high-speed endeavor to improve services for Hawai'i children with mental disabilities has received poor grades from state Auditor Marion Higa and a legislative committee investigating the soaring costs of the federal Felix consent decree.

The committee says the decree has "unleashed a Pandora's box of unintended consequences," and Higa concludes that the system "has not achieved the expected results."

Instead of being deflated by these tough report cards, however, those charged with navigating the final stretch of Felix compliance must use the evaluations to fix some of the gaping pukas in the system. After all, the state departments of Education and Health have a March 31 deadline to bring every campus up to federal standards for special education or face a court takeover.

Given the pressure, they'd be wise to follow the auditor and committee's recommendations and clear up an inadequate financial management infrastructure and vague compliance requirements.

They should pay particular attention to Higa's finding that "costs reported by the departments are intermingled with other programs, are inaccurate and suffer from a lack of transparency." Such squishy accounting procedures only serve to fuel suspicions that the system has been tainted by waste, mismanagement and profiteering, even if that's not been the case.

It's no secret that the state's rush on complying with Felix has been a bonanza for some. But we've yet to see the watchdogs produce clear evidence of fraud. Hundreds of people have worked hard to upgrade the state's special education system, and have brought some 80 percent of school complexes in line with the requirements. That progress has pleased U.S. District Judge David Ezra, who has the authority to appoint a receiver over special-ed services.

So let's give our Felix soldiers credit for making significant strides, and not micromanage them. They can't complete their tour of duty if we keep throwing stones.