Posted on: Friday, April 18, 2003

Schools financing switch likely

By Jennifer Hiller
Advertiser Education Writer

A popular plan to hand the public school system's financial purse strings to school principals moved forward yesterday in the House Education Committee.

A resolution approved unanimously asks the state Board of Education to submit a plan by the end of the year for a per-pupil budget system. House leaders say they intend to pass legislation next session that would codify the system, known as the weighted student formula, into law.

Senate Education Committee Chairman Sen. Norman Sakamoto, D-15th (Waimalu, Airport, Salt Lake), has said he believes senators also would be willing to move to such a model by the end of this session.

The weighted per-pupil formula gives money to schools based on the makeup of their student population; schools with high-poverty students, learners for whom English is a second language, rural or isolated populations or high teacher or student turnover might receive more money per pupil.

Parents would choose what school their child attends, and the money designated for their child would move with them.

The plan would mark the first substantive change in education financing in years by ensuring that money follows students instead of going to the current bureaucracy of district and state education offices.

The idea has the backing of schools Superintendent Pat Hamamoto, as well as the general support of the governor, many lawmakers, union leaders and members of the Board of Education.

Hamamoto said she would like to start the weighted formula no earlier than the 2005-2006 school year.

Reach Jennifer Hiller at jhiller@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8084.