The Lingle administration and the Hawaii State Teachers Association have
reached a tentative agreement on a new two-year contract that includes 17
furlough days a year for teachers on 10-month schedules and 21 furlough days
a year for teachers who work year-round.

The contract proposal amounts to a 7.9 percent pay cut for teachers. The
proposal does not include any layoffs.

The union has scheduled a ratification vote on Sept. 22.

State schools superintendent Pat Hamamoto said the furlough days will be
taken on school days and suggested that parents read to their children on
those days to help out.

"We are in a crisis with the relationship to the budget, and this is what
we've agreed to," Hamamoto said.

Wil Okabe, the HSTA president, said the union realizes that furloughs will
have an impact on teachers, students and families but believes furloughs are
preferable to layoffs.

The contract proposal contains drug testing based on reasonable suspicion
while the courts resolve whether random drug testing for teachers is legal.

The HSTA represents more than 13,000 teachers.

“This has not been a normal or easy process given the unprecedented economic
and fiscal challenges, and there are things that none of us necessarily
wanted to do, but that we had to do in order to address the growing budget
shortfall, and live within our means," Gov. Linda Lingle said in a prepared
statement.

“We greatly value our teachers and respect the work they do every day to
teach our children. I appreciate the patience they have demonstrated
throughout this process.

“It is important now that we all move forward so that our teachers can focus
on their students to ensure they get the best possible education.”