Public-school parents do the math, take textbook issue into their hands
By Treena Shapiro
Advertiser Education Writer
When parents at Moanalua Elementary School learned that their children's math books were obsolete, they decided it was up to them to buy new ones.
Jeff Widener • The Honolulu Advertiser
At La'ie Elementary School, parents came to a similar conclusion when they learned it would take three years to replace the tattered books in their kids' classrooms.
Sign-waving teachers from Moanalua High School help make the community aware that the school needs $45,000 to replace obsolete math textbooks. Parents have also begun a fund-raising drive.
Parent organizations at both schools have launched ambitious fund-raisers to provide their children with adequate math books, tackling an issue — up-to-date textbooks, and one for every student — that residents statewide have identified as one of the basic steps needed to improve Hawai'i's public schools.
Moanalua parent Lori Shimoda, who is planning the fund-raiser, was concerned when she found out there was no money available to replace the school's math books, even though they were 10 years old and inadequate for teaching new state standards.
"I thought it was appalling there isn't enough money for textbooks," she said. "These basic things should be provided by the state."
Budget limitations
Department of Education spokesman Greg Knudsen agreed that providing textbooks is a state obligation, but said the department is limited by its budget. The education reform package that passed out of the Legislature yesterday includes $2.5 million for new math books, but the extra money wouldn't even provide books for a third of the state's 182,434 public school students. New textbooks cost more than $50 apiece.
Shimoda isn't as interested in blame as she is in making sure the kids get new books.
"Even though it's someone else's responsibility, it's our kids," she said. "You can't just say it's supposed to be provided by someone else and not do anything."
The Moanalua PTA isn't trying to turn its textbook needs into a political issue. "We just think the kids need the textbooks, and we can't wait for the dust to settle," Shimoda said.
La'ie principal Deborah Voorhies appreciates the Legislature's efforts, but said until legislators appropriate enough money for books, "I think schools are going to have to creatively fund-raise to make it happen."
La'ie will probably be able to purchase the 400 new books it needs after a parent-run carnival last week grossed $20,000, the minimum needed to replace the books. The school can probably make up any additional expenses with smaller fund-raisers, grants and federal money, Voorhies said. However, the school also needs to raise $12,000 more to install air-conditioning in its 10 portable classrooms, where the temperature sometimes reaches 98 degrees.
Moanalua parents have to raise $45,000 to replace the school's obsolete textbooks. They and their kids have been sign-waving in front of the school to make the community aware of their need and have started a fund-raising drive that will culminate in a fun run on May 14.
The DOE's Knudsen said the public has a mistaken impression about schools not getting money for textbooks. Schools are given various amounts of money for instructional materials, he said, but "most schools could use more."
Other costs involved
Rebecca Breyer • The Honolulu Advertiser
Moanalua principal Ron Hirai said the money that could be used to pay for textbooks also has to cover the cost of basic office supplies, administrative costs and supplemental educational materials. Although he felt uncomfortable approaching parents about paying for the books, it would take four to five years for the school to save up enough to replace the books on its own, he said.
Tania Mahoni assisted with preparations before a parent-run carnival last week at La'ie Elementary School. The carnival grossed $20,000, which is the minimum needed for the school to buy 400 new math textbooks.
"We appreciate the PTA helping until the Legislature and the governor can get together to provide us with the necessary tools to enable the children to meet the standards," Hirai said. The parents' support also helped raise morale among teachers, who joined the parents and students in sign-waving yesterday morning, he said.
Knudsen also applauded the parents' efforts. "We hope they don't feel that it's not the state not fulfilling their obligation, but a way that they can contribute to and support their children's education," he said.
At Moanalua, all students have their own books, but they are more than 10 years old and not up to state standards. To give students all the information they need, teachers must provide supplemental materials that are not consistent from class to class. And because the books are out of print, or if any are lost or damaged, the school needs to scramble to find copies of the materials, or buy surplus books from other schools.
Moanalua PTA president Elton Teshima said the parents usually raise about $90,000 a year from T-shirt and Entertainment book sales, as well as a fun fair. That money is generally used to offset the costs of the fourth-graders' annual camping trip, drama programs and stipends for teachers to cover the cost of supplemental materials.
The textbook request was unexpected, but parents will do their best to raise the money. It's a touchy subject, he said. "On one side we feel that's something the state should do, but times are tough."
Ultimately, parents feel compelled to pitch in because "our children's education is at stake," he said.
The PTA has collected about $6,000 in donations.
Moanalua sixth-graders out sign-waving yesterday knew what was at stake.
The math books they have don't help students prepare for the state's new standardized tests, Elise Ishida said. "They're not helping us learn anymore."
La'ie parent Debbie Frampton doesn't think the responsibility for providing textbooks rests solely with the state. "I think parents have to help, too," she said. "It would be nice if the state would give our school math books, but as far as helping out, I think parents have a responsibility to contribute to our children's education as well."
Parents' efforts lauded
• Moanalua fund-raiser: For more information, call 831-7878. Donations can be mailed to MES PTA Textbook Drive, Moanalua Elementary School, 1337 Mahiole St., Honolulu, HI 96819. • La'ie fund-raiser: For more information, call 293-8965. Mail donations to La'ie Elementary School, 55-109 Kulanui St., La'ie, HI 96762.
State Sen. Norman Sakamoto, chairman of the Education Committee, said the additional money for math books in the Democrats' education reform omnibus bill won't address all the problems, although he hopes it will be resolved in the future. "What we do need is for every child to have a book, but that won't be accomplished with what we pass this year," he said.
How to help buy books for pupils
"I think any school community that wants to improve the situation would be wise to do all they can."
Students and teachers said they are grateful to the parents for trying to get new books. While some classes have books they can take home, others must leave the books in the classroom and only take worksheets home at night.
Jaudana Mahoni, a fifth-grader whose mother organized the La'ie carnival, said having a math book to take home makes the work a lot easier. "You can look in the book if you need more help, instead of just memorizing," she said.
Maxine Honua, La'ie student body president, agreed that it's nice to be able to look through the book to check her work, but worksheets also have their advantages. "If you get a Xeroxed copy, it's a good thing to get that because your backpack is lighter."
Yvonne Ah Sue, a third-grade teacher at La'ie, said "Parents have really pitched in. They've come to the principal and asked, 'What do you want? What can we help you with?' "
Fifth-grader Kailee Heffernan was happy to see everyone pitching in to help La'ie. "The school is kind of poor, and we need more stuff," she said. She was just sad that sixth-graders, like her sister, would be gone before the school reaps the benefits of the fund-raiser.
Reach Treena Shapiro at tshapiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8014.
