Democrats' education measures advance
By Derrick DePledge
Advertiser Education Writer
The state House voted yesterday for the Democrats' vision for education reform and also agreed to give the state Board of Education more autonomy and expand it to make it more geographically reflective of the Islands, sending the bills to the Senate.
But the House, led by majority Democrats, voted for the second time to reject Gov. Linda Lingle's proposal for local school boards, turning back a Republican amendment.
Lingle has asked the Legislature to let voters decide on her plans to break the state Department of Education into seven local school districts with elected boards and to replace the BOE with an appointed standards and accountability commission.
State Sen. Norman Sakamoto, D-15th (Waimalu, Airport, Salt Lake), the chairman of the Senate Education Committee, has said that he would give Lingle and her supporters a chance to argue for local school boards, most likely when he considers the Democrats' bills to expand and give more autonomy to the BOE.
All three proposals are constitutional amendments that require two-thirds votes in the House and Senate before being placed before voters in November.
A key component in the Democrats' education reform package approved yesterday is a new student spending formula that bases financing on student need instead of school enrollment. The Senate passed a similar bill last week, and lawmakers will now work toward a final draft.
Along with the new formula, the House bill would require new school councils at every school that would be similar to existing School Community Based Management councils but would have greater authority over budget and curriculum.
The bill would also get all schools on a uniform, year-round calendar, give the DOE control over school repair and maintenance, devote $3 million for textbooks, and provide $2.1 million for more teachers to lower class sizes in kindergarten-through-second grades.
"Our approach — putting students first — will put resources where they belong," said state Rep. Roy Takumi, D-36th (Pearl City, Palisades), the chairman of the House Education Committee.
The House voted yesterday to send two constitutional amendments — to allow 16-year-olds to serve on the BOE and to create local school boards at every school — back to committee, basically killing the measures this session.
On the constitutional amendments, meanwhile, it remains unclear whether there is enough will among Democrats to get the measures on the ballot. It may also be politically difficult, some lawmakers and educators believe, for Democrats to put their governance proposals before voters while snubbing Lingle's request.
Under the House bills approved yesterday, the BOE would have exclusive jurisdiction over the internal structure, management and operation of the public school system.
Reach Derrick DePledge at ddepledge@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8084.
Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly said three proposed constitutional amendments were approved by the state House yesterday.
