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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Friday, January 24, 2003

BOE scrambles to save A-Plus

By Jennifer Hiller
Advertiser Education Writer

The state Board of Education last night trimmed $3 million from this year's public school budget but was scrambling for ways to keep the popular A-Plus after-school program going through the end of the school year.

The board approved recommendations from Schools Superintendent Pat Hamamoto that would, for the most part, protect students in the classroom from losing programs but chip away at school library services, teacher recruitment and district administration.

A-Plus, an after-school program on campuses to provide a safe place for latchkey kids, would close in May under the department's recommendation.

However, board members said they were hesitant to close the program before the school year is concluded. Last night the BOE shifted $12,000 from its $96,000 budget to A-Plus, and said it would look at spending at the end of the third quarter, in March, to see if there are any savings that could be transferred to A-Plus.

The fate of A-Plus for subsequent school years depends on appropriations from the Legislature.

Jim Brewer, who served on the steering committee of the Hawai'i Child Care Project in the early 1980s that helped original A-Plus, said the program has helped eliminate the problem of latchkey kids. "I think this would be a disaster," he said. "It provides something that is very fundamental, which is child and family support."

The department trimmed $3 million from its current budget to help make up a $200 million state budget shortfall. While board members and administrators are reluctant to make the cuts, they also acknowledge the school system has been spared the reductions required of other state departments.

The A-Plus system is operated by the DOE and private childcare providers. About $850,000 would be trimmed from its $2.8 million nonpayroll budget under the department's recommendations.

Other cuts approved last night included:

• $327,000 from Information Resources Management.

• $113,000 from the Teleschool program.

• $75,000 from administrative services.

• $47,000 from criminal history checks.

• $23,000 from school administrator training.

• $12,000 from personnel recruitment.

In other business, the board for the first time intervened in a charter school governance dispute.

Charter schools are semi-autonomous public schools operated by parents, educators or community groups under a contract with the Board of Education.

Waihona O Ka Na'auao Charter School in Wai'anae for months has had two school boards battling for control of the school: the interim group that helped found it and the board members who say they were elected to the board Aug. 29 but who have been locked out since.

The interim group fired the school's superintendent, Alvin Parker, last fall, prompting parents to withdraw 13 of 80 students enrolled. Dozens of parents formally petitioned the Board of Education last fall in protest of the principal's firing and to request help.

Elections for a permanent 15-member school board were supposed to have been held within 90 days of the charter being granted.

The state board ordered the interim board to hold open elections for a local school board and to come into compliance with all charter requirements within 30 days. If they don't, the BOE will ask the attorney general to take action.

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