Hawai'i schools to get $3.5 million more
By Jennifer Hiller
Advertiser Education Writer
The discovery of an obscure provision in U.S. law will bring the Department of Education an additional $3.5 million in federal money next year and the promise of increased aid for years to come.
Advertiser library photo • April 18, 2003
The infusion of federal impact aid will give the DOE at least $41.6 million in 2004, money intended to help offset the cost of educating the children of military families on O'ahu.
"It took a tremendous partnership with the military to pull this off," said state Rep. K. Mark Takai.
The $3.5 million comes in large part thanks to the work of state Rep. K. Mark Takai, D-34th (Pearl City, Newtown, Royal Summit). Takai researched federal impact aid laws and found a provision that provides for more aid when children are displaced from base housing because of renovations or construction, as opposed to students whose parents choose to live off base.
And with Hawai'i as the site of some of the U.S. military's largest home-renovation projects around the world — and more scheduled over the next 15 years — officials say many families could be displaced from military housing for periods of time.
"It took a tremendous partnership with the military to pull this off," Takai said.
He was among Hawai'i politicians and educators who made the announcement about the increased aid yesterday at Aliamanu Elementary School, one of several O'ahu schools that serves primarily military families.
Under the federal formula, states receive more money for children who live on military bases. A child living on base in the Central O'ahu district, for example, would bring $2,441 in federal money, while a military child living off base would bring $422.
Advertiser library photo • Dec. 14, 2001
To secure the additional federal money, the housing offices of all military branches had to identify all vacant military housing on O'ahu that is empty because of major renovation or construction. They found 2,135 vacant housing units and an estimated 2,032 military students who were living off base because of repairs to the housing.
"We've got a village that's working to take care of all of our children," schools Superintendent Pat Hamamoto said.
Because the provision Takai cited allows the DOE to count students living off base as on-base students during the renovation period, those 2,032 students translated into the higher Hawai'i allocation for 2004.
Impact aid is federal money that compensates school districts that have a large military presence, but it can be used at the DOE's discretion.
State schools Superintendent Pat Hamamoto said the impact aid will probably come to the department in January or February 2004. She thanked Takai, military officials and U.S. Reps. Neil Abercrombie and Ed Case for their work in helping coordinate the increase in impact aid.
"We've got a village that's working to take care of all of our children," Hamamoto said.
Abercrombie said the change will help the DOE for years to come as military housing on O'ahu gets updated.
Every branch of the military has renovation plans as the Department of Defense works to improve outdated housing worldwide by 2007 to retain soldiers, sailors and airmen.
The military is considering replacing or renovating more than 16,000 homes on O'ahu over the next 15 years.
The Army plans to replace or renovate 8,000 units on six of its installations, as well as one belonging to the Coast Guard, starting in November 2004. The Navy and Marine Corps are looking at replacing or renovating about 7,400 homes beginning in July 2004. And the Air Force plans to replace or renovate 1,356 houses beginning in January.
That's in addition to housing renovations that are under way, including new homes at Radford Terrace near the airport.
Reach Jennifer Hiller at jhiller@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8084.
