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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 8:22 p.m., Thursday, November 6, 2008

Hawaii DOE proposes budget-cut options

Associated Press

The Department of Education has come up with four options to save money in the face of a looming state deficit of $230 million.

State Schools Superintendent Patricia Hamamoto has told the Board of Education each scenario could save between $15.8 million and $25 million. But she adds any one of them would require negotiations with unions and even changes to state law.

Under one proposal all public schools and offices would be closed for up to six days a year. Another calls for the department's estimated 22,000 employees to work four days without pay.

A third proposal would have schools close during four planning days when students are off. The final scenario would shut down schools as well as Education Department offices for four days.