STATE OF THE STATE
Lingle advocates alternative schooling
By Jennifer Hiller
Advertiser Education Writer
To fix what she called a broken system of public education, Gov. Linda Lingle yesterday proposed changes that would give parents more choices and students an alternative to the traditional school system.
Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser
In her first State of the State address, Lingle advocated allowing more public charter schools and fully financing them, as well as focusing on other options, such as schools within a school, magnet schools, e-schooling and homeschooling.
Gov. Linda Lingle, with Senate President Robert Bunda, said in her State of the State address yesterday that the public school system's "one-size-fits-all structure has long outlived its value."
"The public knows and — we should not be afraid to say it — Hawai'i's public school system is broken," Lingle said. "As currently structured, the public school system offers virtually no choice to parents. It's a one-size-fits-all structure that has long outlived its value."
Few items in the governor's plan indicate that she would fix the problems by pumping new money to the 183,000-student education system, though. Many of the proposals were low- to no-cost.
State schools Superintendent Pat Hamamoto said she agreed with some of Lingle's ideas, but reserved judgment on others until she could see a more detailed plan.
"There are definitely parts that need fixing," Hamamoto said. "I think there are also many things that are missing. We have a lack of resources." At the same time Lingle is trimming the state budget, the DOE is asking for an additional $32.8 million in the 2004 budget and $28.1 million in 2005 over this year's $1.3 billion base.
But Hamamoto said she supports charter schools and the idea of developing magnet schools or academies within schools, noting that the federal Felix consent decree, which forced the improvement of special education services, taught the state the value of developing individual plans for different students.
"We agree that one-size-fits-all doesn't fit every child," Hamamoto said. "Felix showed us that."
Some of the most common schools-within-schools now are Hawaiian immersion programs. Magnet schools, common in other parts of the country, generally attract students from a large geographic area, have competitive admission and focus on areas such as science, math or the performing and visual arts. Hawai'i already has an E-School, a virtual, online high school open to all public school students.
Enrollment in the state's charter schools increased this year to 3,350 students on 25 charter campuses, but the schools have had rocky relations with the DOE. "The current DOE attitude toward charter schools is benign neglect at best and antagonistic at worst," Lingle said.
Authorized by the Legislature in 1999, charter schools use public money and are part of the Department of Education, but operate largely independent of the state school administration. Advocates say this makes them more efficient, responsive and creative.
Supporters of charter schools got a lift from Lingle's mention of their struggling movement.
John Thatcher, an administrator at Connections Public Charter School on the Big Island and an adviser to the Hawai'i Charter Schools Network, said that his campus will receive $833,000 this year, but would get more than $1.5 million if it were financed at the same per-pupil level a regular public school is. "It's very encouraging," Thatcher said.
Lingle also wants to allow homeschooled students to participate in extracurricular activities such as band or sports. Hamamoto said DOE officials have looked into allowing homeschool students that option, but have not made a decision.
Katrina Fujisaka, who homeschools her son, 9, and daughter, 5, said the chance to participate in extracurricular activities would be a boon to homeschooling families, especially those with middle- or high-school aged children. "Hawai'i's rules about homeschooling are very exclusionary," Fujisaka said. "It would be a nice option to have."
The number of families choosing to homeschool in Hawai'i has risen in recent years, with an estimated 6,620 students taught at home last year.
Lingle will talk more about her education agenda this afternoon at Voyager Public Charter School.
Reach Jennifer Hiller at jhiller@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8084.
