Lingle offers Democrats modified school reform

By Derrick DePledge
Advertiser Education Writer

Gov. Linda Lingle reached out to Democrats in the Legislature yesterday, offering a compromise on the most significant disagreements that have separated the two sides on education reform.

The Republican governor, in a letter to Democratic leaders, proposed that the state phase in a new student spending formula so that school principals would control 90 percent of school operations money after three years, instead of immediately, as she called for originally.

Lingle also proposed a local school board for each of the state's four counties, rather than the seven local school boards across the Islands that had been the centerpiece of her reform package.

The move is the first potential thaw in what has been an intense and, at times, narrowly partisan debate over how to improve the state's public schools. Up until the last week, when Lingle began to talk about compromise in interviews and public appearances, the two sides appeared locked in confrontation, with little real dialogue since Lingle and the Democrats released competing reform plans in January.

"I wanted to be able to salvage school reform for this year," Lingle said at a press conference yesterday evening, "so I'm offering some significant compromises so that we can get some real improvement this year in our school system."

The governor said she could not support what Democrats have come up with so far, but stopped short of a veto threat. Democrats have a majority in the Legislature and, if lawmakers follow party lines, have enough votes to override a veto.

Democratic leaders, who are close to finalizing their education reform plan, reacted cautiously.

"It's kind of late in the game for a new idea to come forward, but I'm willing to listen," said Sen. Norman Sakamoto, D-15th (Waimalu, Airport, Salt Lake), chairman of the Senate Education Committee. "I'm willing to look at any option that would advance student achievement."

Sakamoto and Rep. Roy Takumi, D-36th (Pearl City, Palisades), the chairman of the House Education Committee, were both dubious about Lingle's new proposal to break up the statewide school system.

"What's the justification for four?" Takumi said. "I'm just unclear what four will do that seven can't or won't, or how it relates to student achievement."

But both lawmakers said they would consider phasing in aspects of the new formula, which would base school financing on student need instead of enrollment. In conference committee, Democrats are now looking at turning over 70 percent to 75 percent of operations money to principals, and are also talking with the state Department of Education about which school functions should be in the formula.

"We're looking at what would make sense," Sakamoto said. "Just getting the money to schools is not the goal. It's helping them to perform."

Lingle and her advisers had dismissed the Democrats' plans as "fake reform," and suggested that anything less than giving principals 90 percent control over spending was hollow. But only Edmonton, Alberta, the model Lingle has been using for reform, has reached that threshold, and several school districts on the Mainland have been able to make gains under similar spending formulas without giving principals that much control.

The governor had been even less willing to soften her proposal for local school boards, even after the House voted twice against the idea and Sakamoto said he would not hear it in the Senate. Lingle said yesterday that her compromise would at least provide some local control to the Neighbor Islands, where support for local boards is stronger.

"I'm hoping that this will open the door — the fact that I came forward to them to offer a compromise," Lingle said.

Lingle also asked lawmakers to allow up to 12 new startup charter schools — instead of the 23 she initially proposed — and one new chartering authority, such as the University of Hawai'i. The governor also asked that the new school councils Democrats are planning for every school be advisory, and that principals be placed on three-year performance contracts, instead of the two-year contracts she had proposed.

Democrats are likely to give the councils some control over school budgets and curriculum while allowing principals to appeal council decisions all the way up to the state Board of Education. Democrats have also talked about eventually putting principals on performance contracts, an issue that would have to be negotiated with the principals' union.

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