HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.R. NO.

233

TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

 

requesting the Department of Education to facilitate discussion within the community on the funding inadequacies of the Weighted Student Formula, particularly for smaller rural schools, and explore alternative models or formulas to the Weighted Student Formula in the interest of maximizing funding equity to public schools.

 

 


     WHEREAS, Hawaii's public education system is being criticized for the inadequate delivery of educational services and poor student achievement; and

 

     WHEREAS, Act 51, Session Laws of Hawaii 2004, also known as the "Reinventing Education Act of 2004" (REA), intended to implement comprehensive education reform in Hawaii's public schools by, among other things, reducing the bureaucracy that hampers the effectiveness of the Department of Education and focusing more resources and control at the individual school level; and

 

     WHEREAS, one of the elements of the REA included establishing a Weighted Student Formula, which essentially is a formula for allocating operating moneys to individual public schools that includes a system of weighted characteristics affecting the relative cost of educating each student attending a public school, including new century charter schools and new century conversion charter schools; and

 

     WHEREAS, after the Weighted Student Formula was established in 2005, it became clear that many small and rural schools would be severely and adversely affected upon full implementation, specifically, those schools with smaller student enrollment, geographically isolated schools, schools with a large number of transient students or non-English proficient students, or a combination of these; and

 

     WHEREAS, although specific characteristics are taken into consideration in the Weighted Student Formula, adequate funds have not been available to address these and other disadvantages facing students and have thus resulted in undermining student achievement by withholding resources from smaller schools, which forced a reduction in faculty and staff; and

 

     WHEREAS, it is the responsibility of our State, as well as the people of Hawaii, to ensure that the future generations have a right and the opportunity to receive an education that meets comparable national education standards; and

 

     WHEREAS, the communities in rural areas with small schools would benefit from participating in discussions to learn about the design and implementation of the Weighted Student Formula, as well as sharing their experiences and observations on how the Weighted Student Formula has adversely affected the quality of education of the students; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Department of Education would be able to receive meaningful community input on the deficiencies of the current Weighted Student Formula, thus being able to collect information that would guide future refinements of the Weighted Student Formula, including devising alternative models that would promote greater funding equity; and

 

     WHEREAS, meaningful change can occur given that the Department of Education and the public share a common vision and are committed to undertaking challenges and working together towards positive change for the best interests of our students and the teachers who are instrumental in guiding their instruction; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2009, that the Department of Education is requested to facilitate discussion within the community on the funding inadequacies of the Weighted Student Formula, particularly for smaller rural schools, and to explore alternative models or formulas to the Weighted Student Formula in the interest of maximizing funding equity to public schools; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education hold at least one community meeting in each of the seven districts, focusing on obtaining information from smaller schools in the rural areas of each of these districts, which have experienced the loss of faculty and staff due to economic conditions and other negative impacts resulting in the allocation of funds based upon the current Weighted Student Formula; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education also facilitate discussion and gather information on alternative models and formulas to the Weighted Student Formula in the interest of maximizing funding equity disbursements; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education is requested to submit its findings and recommendations to address the concerns regarding the Weighted Student Formula to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2010; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to Superintendent of Education and the Chairperson of the Board of Education.

 

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

DOE; Weighted Student Formula; Community Meetings