The issue of little Wailupe Valley School and whether it should share two classrooms with a charter school with no permanent home has focused attention on a new issue facing the Department of Education.

It revolves around space, changing demographics, declining enrollments in older neighborhoods, the viability of small schools and even potential new directions for the state's public education system.

As DOE officials prepare to sign an agreement in the next few days to lease two classrooms at Wailupe Valley to the charter school Halau ku Mana — over the protest of some parents — the debate has opened the door to questions of how the state should handle school space in areas where enrollment is declining.

"As schools become underutilized," said state Schools Superintendent Pat Hamamoto, "what would be the viable options for their use? Offices? Sharing with charters or other use of their space? There's no policy."

The older neighborhoods of East Honolulu are some of the most visible areas where changing demographics are at work, and where these questions are being raised.

With new growth marching across the 'Ewa Plain, enrollment is seeping out of the public schools at the other end of the island, bringing concerns in the department about how to pay the bills, along with uncertainties among younger families in the area who don't want to see their small and intimate schools change.

"Wailupe has just over 100 kids, with a lot that are geographic exceptions," said Wailupe Valley School parent Cynthia Pandolfe, "and the reason those people come is because of its small, nurturing environment. ... This will be a historic change, ruining the elementary school."

CHERRY-PICKED SCHOOLS

But school enrollments in the area already are heavily composed of families from other neighborhoods who have asked for and received geographic exceptions, says Ronn Nozoe, Farrington/Kaiser complex area superintendent.

Nozoe said that the falling enrollments have made it possible for families to cherry-pick their child's school, based on everything from preference for a particular program to the proximity to a parents' workplace.

"The growth rate in the Kaiser complex is minimal at best," said Nozoe, noting that his schools are generally filled with one-half to two-thirds geographic-exception students from other areas.

"Developments are catering to people without children."

At Wailupe Valley alone, about 50 percent of the student body is on geographical exceptions, he said.

Pandolfe and other parents oppose allowing the charter school to use part of the facility because of their concerns about having older children on the same campus with younger ones.

But school board members say that many schools still mix a wide age range of children, and a number go all the way from kindergarten to 12th grade.

RENTALS PERMITTED

The state's "use of facilities" policy already allows schools to rent out space for individual events, according to Hamamoto. And some schools, such as Farrington High, have agreements with churches to use facilities on weekends, after school, or in the evening. Others have rented space to preschools and other community programs.

Proceeds from such rentals are generally used by the school to allay costs, or help reduce the state costs of things such as electricity and custodial services.

"The law mandates that public facilities will be available for use by the public when they're not being used," Hamamoto said. "But the concern comes up — is there a priority and should we have a policy?"

She has asked the Board of Education to investigate the issue. Board chairwoman Karen Knudsen appointed board member Breene Harimoto to chair an ad hoc committee to look into the issue and come up with suggested guidelines for use of underused school property.

Board member Garrett Togu-chi expressed concern over the amount of authority individual schools have to rent out their space.

"It throws schools into the free marketplace," he said at a committee meeting this week.

To Hamamoto, allowing a charter school to occupy two of Wailupe Valley's empty classrooms is a step in a new kind of direction for the department.

FINDING ALTERNATIVES

While it may not stave off the eventual closure of the smallest schools — recommendations from the department on that issue are expected in April — it will at least offer a series of other possible options.

"Does this alleviate the concern about the costs of keeping small schools open?" wondered Board member Denise Matsumoto during a committee meeting this week.

"Does this lease now assure them (Wailupe Valley) that they'll remain a small school?" asked Board member Donna Ikeda at the same meeting.

To both questions, Hamamoto would have to answer 'no.' Nonetheless, she is already envisioning a broad scope of opportunities for schools losing enrollment — everything from the creation of new magnet schools or learning centers to their use in conjunction with charter schools.

Board members like that vision.

"I think this is an ideal opportunity to focus on teaching differently," Ikeda said. "Moving toward project-based teaching, shared knowledge, shared teaching. I think it's a win-win situation.

"Rather than looking at closing smaller schools, we should look at how we make education better."

Reach Beverly Creamer at bcreamer@honoluluadvertiser.com.