State schools Superintendent Patricia Hamamoto has ordered task forces created in 20 areas on five Islands to study the possibility of closing small schools to save money.

Citing budget cuts of as much as $70 million next year, Hamamoto said yesterday that she has told various complex area superintendents to begin the long process of studying consolidation of schools in their area.

"We know there are schools that are under utilized or under capacity," Hamamoto told the state Board of Education's Audit Committee yesterday.

"In light of the budget reductions ... consolidation of schools was one of the areas that the public has asked us to look at."

Under a plan presented to board members yesterday, studies will be conducted in three batches, starting with areas with schools that are known to be operating under capacity.

The first batch included schools that have been mentioned in the past by the DOE as possible merger sites. Wailupe Valley Elementary, which has seen declining enrollment over the years, and neighboring 'Aina Haina Elementary were included as schools to be studied.

Wailupe, with a total enrollment of 78 students, has an estimated capacity of more than 250. The school is leasing unoccupied space to Halau Ku Mana Public Charter School and Keiki O Ka 'Aina Preschool.

Maunaloa Elementary School on Maui is also in the first batch of schools that will be studied. The nearest schools are Kualapu'u Public Charter School, which is 12 miles away, and Kaunakakai Elementary School, which is 16 miles away.

Maunaloa has just over 60 students enrolled, but a capacity of more than 100.

While officials stressed the need to seriously consider school consolidation, they also emphasized that no school will be closed without extensive public input and discussions.

"It does not necessarily mean that a school is closed," said Randy Moore, assistant superintendent of business services.

"This will provide an opportunity to look at (consolidation)."

The DOE has been under political pressure for the past several years by lawmakers concerned about shifting populations, and the high cost of facility repair and maintenance.

In the last legislative session, state Rep. Roy Takumi introduced a bill calling for an independent board — dubbed the Facilities Realignment Commission — to recommend schools for closure or consolidation in a two-year process.

The bill was vetoed by Gov. Linda Lingle.

EVALUATING COSTS

Education officials have acknowledged that the cost of operating small schools prompted them to more aggressively seek closures and consolidation.

"When we looked at what were the per-student costs ... it was apparent that the non-teaching costs were higher at small schools," Moore told board members yesterday.

He said it is difficult to say how much money could potentially be saved by consolidating small schools. But he did say it would result in significant savings in repair and maintenance.

The weighted student formula, the DOE's method for allocating resources, essentially gives money to each school based on its student population. But for smaller schools to get enough money to operate, the formula includes 30 percent or more extra in funding, officials say.

Several board members were concerned about the timetable for closing small schools, saying it is a long and often emotional process.

"The pressure is on us to do this quick," said John Penebacker, chairman of the BOE Audit Committee. "Closing a school takes at least a year and a half."

Board chairwoman Donna Ikeda also stressed the need to move quickly.

"If we're going to make any headway in this direction, it needs to be done expeditiously," she said.

Task forces will be made up of both school and community members and will investigate whether it would be prudent to close or consolidate a school, Moore said. Considerations include school population, whether facilities are fully used and whether there are schools nearby to accommodate displaced students.

Ultimately the decision to close or consolidate a school would rest with the state Board of Education.

The earliest that board members could hear the results of various consolidation studies would be June 2009, Moore said.

The latest move to consolidate schools comes just two weeks after the DOE began pushing a proposal to make it easier to close or consolidate small public schools.

Under that proposal still being considered by the state Board of Education, the authority to initiate the school closure process would shift from the complex area offices to Hamamoto.

The reason, they say, is that the current process is complicated and often impeded by politics within individual communities. Also, it has been ineffective and hasn't resulted in a school closure since the 1970s.