Lingle seeks $90 million to fix Hawai'i's schools

By Derrick DePledge
Advertiser Education Writer

Gov. Linda Lingle asked the Legislature yesterday for a substantial increase in spending on school repair and maintenance next year to help attack a backlog of overdue projects that was in danger of growing.

But Lingle said that reform, not more money, would improve schools, and she asked for only a $24.2 million overall increase in the state Department of Education's $1.7 billion operating budget, about half of what the DOE had wanted.

"While the state spends a considerable amount of resources on education, our students continue to rank at or near the bottom in every measure of student achievement," Lingle said. "This condition is not acceptable, and I intend to move forward on improving and reforming Hawai'i's education system.

"This improvement must come in the form of structural changes, rather than from simply increasing the Department of Education's budget."

But it was the money for repair and maintenance — one of the most urgent issues facing Hawai'i's public schools — that got the most attention in her education budget. Poor conditions, from cracked walls and leaking roofs to termite infestation, plague many schools, and educators have complained that the problems detract from student learning.

The state has an estimated $675 million worth of backlogged school repairs, down from a peak of $800 million. But after devoting $245 million to the backlog in the previous budget cycle, the Legislature provided $42 million in the current budget, with just $7 million planned for next year.

With about $50 million needed each year to keep up, according to the state Department of Accounting and General Services, the repair backlog threatens to grow without a fresh infusion of money.

The governor has said that education reform will be her top priority next session, and her education advisory committee has called for a new student-spending formula and for splitting up the state DOE into seven school districts with locally elected school boards.

But the committee did not recommend any new education spending, and Lingle's budget request will likely be challenged by educators and lawmakers who argue that public schools already are being shortchanged.

Her supplemental budget contains $3.5 million for the A+ after-school program, $2.5 million for student transportation, $1 million for library books and materials, and money for 15 school security attendants. The governor proposes $6 million for a new administration and library building and other renovations at Kealakehe Intermediate School on the Big Island and $2 million for a classroom building at Hana High and Elementary School on Maui.

Lingle also asked for $25.9 million for charter schools, and wants $25 million for repair and maintenance projects in the University of Hawai'i system.

State Sen. Brian Taniguchi, D-10th (Manoa, McCully), the chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, said lawmakers are ready to finance school repair but described Lingle's request as "a little ambitious."

Lingle and lawmakers tangled earlier this year after the Legislature provided $42 million for school repair and maintenance in the biennial budget — $35 million this year and $7 million next year.

Taniguchi said lawmakers always intended to increase that spending but wanted to see how much progress the state made on repairs this year.

"We'll take a look at what they've done," he said. "We know there are needs there, and we want to help the schools."

Taniguchi also said lawmakers would examine the difference between what the DOE asked for and what Lingle ultimately included in her request.

The state had been making progress on school repair during the last budget cycle, but had to cut back when the poor economy forced lawmakers to reduce spending. Several dozen schools that were expecting repair projects were told to wait.

The economy has since improved, and construction by the military and the private sector is surging. The construction demand would increase considerably if the Legislature approves Lingle's capital improvement projects.

Greg Knudsen, a DOE spokes-man, said department officials had not seen enough of the governor's budget request to comment.

But he did say that the proposed spending on school repair and maintenance is promising.

"It's needed, but it's just a small part of the backlog," he said.

Reach Derrick DePledge at ddepledge@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8084.