HAWAII REPUBLICAN ASSEMBLY.ORG

As reported in the 2006 Sunday Honolulu Advertiser our schools continue to lack books and that means students either must share a classroom copy or cannot remove a copy to take a book home for study.

Is this a learning atmosphere?

A little math is in order to better understand the Hawaii school book situation. The Advertiser article suggests that a book costs about $50 each. OK, lets take the 180,000 students in public school and spend $200 on each to purchase four books for every child from kindergarten through high school.

$200 per student times 180,000 students equals $36 million.

$36 million is 1.44% of the $2.5 BILLION Department of Education budget. I bet DOE spends more than $36 million on consultants who are being tasked to tell them how to improve!

One should be able to assume that books can be used more than one year. Thus, if our schools had a standard curriculum, say in math or English, these books should have a useful life of at least two years. Therefore, each succeeding year the cost for new books would drop to only replacement costs.

Auwe! Our students must at least have a book. Is 1.44% of the total budget too much to spend on the basics?

HOW GOOD ARE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS?

WHAT OPTIONS DO PARENTS HAVE?

ASSESSING HAWAII STUDENTS

IN SENATE DISTRICT 13 NEIGHBORHOOD PUBLIC SCHOOLS

RATINGS – PERFORMANCE JULY 21, 2006

SCHOOL AYP* RESULT NCLB SANCTION STATUS RATING

Central Middle Not met Restructuring 7

Farrington HS Not met Corrective action 1 year 5

Kalakaua Middle Not met Planning for restructuring 6

Kalhi-kai Elem Met School improvement year 2 4

Kapalama Elem Met In good standing unconditional 1

Kauluwela Elem Met In good standing unconditional 1

Kawananakoa Mid Met In good standing unconditional 1

Lanakila Elem Met School improvement year 2 4

Likelike Elem Not met Corrective action year 1 3

Lincoln Elem Met In good standing unconditional 1

Maemae Elem Met In good standing unconditional 1

Nuuanu Elem Met In good standing unconditional 1

Pauoa Elem Not met School improvement year 1 3

Puuhale Elem Not met School improvement year 1 3

Roosevelt HS Met In good standing unconditional 1

Royal Met In good standing unconditional 1

Sevenson Mid Not met School improvement year 1 3

Table information and information noted below taken in large part from the July 21, 2006 edition of the Honolulu Advertiser.

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What does AYP* mean?

Schools must demonstrate Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) by having every student proficient in core subjects by 2014. The standard benchmarks rise every three years. The 2006 benchmark was started in 2005 so this is the second year where schools are trying to have 28% of their students meet math standards and 44% of their students meet reading standards.

Could most of the school students fail to meet the AYP standards and the school could still be considered good and passing?

Yes, the standard only requires that 28% and 44% actually meet the benchmark math and reading standards. Therefore, 72% of all students are not required to meet the math standards and 56% of all students are not required to meet the reading standards for the school to be evaluated as meeting the AYP standards for years 2005, 2006, and 2007. In Hawaii, statewide, 29% of all schools are meeting the standards and 9% are having some problems. However, 62% are having so much trouble that parents are eligible to request that their child be transferred to another better performing school or the parents can ask the Department of Education for special tutoring for their child paid by education funding.

How should I understand the meaning of “NCLB status”?

1. Good standing, unconditional – MEET AYP STANDARDS (i.e., at least 2.8 out of ten students can meet the math and 4.4 students out of ten can meet the reading standards).

2. Good standing, pending -- Missed AYP this year, must improve to avoid sanctions

3. School improvement, year 1-Missed AYP for 2 yrs. Student can transfer from school

Students can transfer and/or ask for tutoring for all of the following conditions:

4. School improvement, year 2--Missed AYP 3 yrs. student can transfer/get tutoring

5. Corrective Action Missed AYP 4 yrs. Subject to State intervention

6. Planning for restructuring Missed AYP 5 yrs. State replacing staff & restructuring

7. Restructuring Missed AYP 6 yrs. Subject to maximum State intervention

What should I think about our neighborhood schools?
Schools with a “1” rating (see the right hand column on the first table at the top) are schools that are on target to meet the goal of 28% and 44% of all students meeting the math and reading standards by 2007. If parents are satisfied with the school and with the benchmarks then no action is needed except to support their child and the school. Parent involvement in a child’s education is key to good progress.

Schools with a “2” rating (none in this list for our neighborhood) missed one year and need to do some extra work to get back on target.

Schools with a “3” rating are having problems meeting the basic standards. Therefore, parents can request that their child be TRANSFERRED to another, better performing, school.

Schools with a “4” rating (or higher) are having serious problems and parents can request that their child TRANSFER or ASK FOR TUTORING ASSISTANCE for the child.

Schools with “5”, “6”, or “7” ratings have very serious problems and are undergoing State intervention and corrective actions. Parents need to SERIOUSLY CONSIDER MOVING their child to a better school, including a public charter school, or at least request tutoring for their child. Getting involved in the school PTSA or meeting often with the child’s teacher to monitor the progress of the child is important.

I am a taxpayer, and have no children currently in school. What should I understand from these ratings and is there anything I can do?

Consider the following table and then decide if more money and more employees are the answer:

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION – STATE OF HAWAII

                                                     1974-75           2004-05                       % Change

Students                                         177,419           175,946                         -1%

Classroom teachers                            7,937               11,146                         +40%

Non classroom DOE employees        2,896               9,384                           +224%

Money for K-12                               $195 million      $2.158 Billion               +1004%

Money spent per student                   $1,099             $12,265                       +1116%
Note: the budget numbers in this table do not include money for school repair and construction in 2004-05. In addition, during the 2006 Legislative session $235 million was approved for repairs and new construction (SB2956).
Act 51 passed in 2004 as an effort to get 70% of the education money into the classroom and give greater control to the school principals. The Department of Education plans a multi-year phase in of this law and classrooms will not get 70% of the education dollars for many years to come, given the current transfer rate. In fact, with so many schools requiring state intervention; expect the money requirements of the central DOE to increase and slow down the flow of money to classrooms.

Interested citizens should write their State Legislators and ask all candidates for office to support the speedy enforcement of Act 51 that requires principals control 70% of the DOE budget or request that candidates support tuition scholarships for suffering families so they might consider more options for their children.
Should I support local school boards and can they make a positive difference?
Consider the difference between attending a State Board of Education meeting to suggest a curriculum or an air conditioner or a repair need for your child’s school vs. a county school board. Your concern would affect only one school but the state board is tracking 282. At least with a local or county board the meeting focus would allow much more time for each school and/or issue simply because there are fewer schools at the county level.

If you are concerned for education in Hawaii remember that the State Legislature is the only governmental authority (other than the State Board of Education, itself) that has power over the Department of Education. This is power of the purse and the ability to pass legislation to structurally change how education is delivered in Hawaii. The Legislature can require the Department of Education to testify and hold them accountable. Even the Governor cannot do that!
23 July 2006

Down load a report on our neighborhood schools

Dept. of Education GROWS Headquarters Staff - NOT CLASSROOM TEACHERS!

GROWTH OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
STATE OF HAWAII
                                                1974-75[1]          2004-05                       % Change
Students                                   177,419           175,946[2]                      -1%

Classroom teachers                  7,937             11,146[3]                    +40%

Nonclassroom                                                                                                                            DOE employees                         2,896               9,384[4]                   +224%

Money for K-12                   $195 million    $2.158 Billion             +1004%

Note the results remained the same after 30 years - in spite of the spending!
1974-1975 Hawaii Test Scores were slightly above Louisiana and Mississippi.
2004-2005 Hawaii Test Scores were slightly above Louisiana and Mississippi.

[1] 1974-1975 Data from DOE Financial Report on Operating and Capital Improvement Project Funds.

[2] 2004-2005 Data from State of Hawaii DOE Superintendent’s 16^th Annual Report 2005.

[3] 12/23/2005 Confirmation from DOE Budget Director

[4] 2004-2005 Personnel counts exclude “casual hires”

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