DOE pilot program would facilitate changes
| • | School boards issue is 'past' |
By Derrick DePledge
Advertiser Education Writer
State schools Superintendent Pat Hamamoto hopes to start a pilot program at about a dozen schools in January to ease the transition to a new student spending formula and new school councils.
The superintendent said the state Department of Education likely would select a mix of schools from urban and rural areas statewide.
Democrats will likely vote this week to create the new formula, which bases school finance on student need instead of enrollment, and to require new councils at each school that would have some power over school budgets and academic plans.
The legislation also includes $400,000 for a pilot program so the DOE can make the transition by the 2006-07 school year.
Hamamoto said she hoped to have the school councils in place at all schools by the 2005-06 school year.
Breene Harimoto, chairman of the state Board of Education, said yesterday that the Democrats' reform package could bring meaningful change to public schools.
The state Office of Hawaiian Affairs, whose trustees voted this month to endorse Gov. Linda Lingle's call to break up the DOE into local districts with elected school boards, released a statement with Hamamoto yesterday saying that it is encouraged that the state school system would help Hawaiians.
"We need education reform not just for the betterment of Hawaiians, but for the betterment of all of Hawai'i, Hawaiians and non-Hawaiians alike," said Haunani Apoliona, chairwoman of OHA's board of trustees.
Reach Derrick DePledge at ddepledge@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8084.
