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By Jennifer Hiller, Advertiser Education Writer
The Honolulu Advertiser, April 10, 2003 —
A new education proposal that appears to have political momentum
would upend the Department of Education's top-heavy budgeting system
and give more financial control to school principals.
If successful, the measure would mark the first substantive
change in education financing in years by ensuring that money follows
studenys instead of the bureaucracy of district and state education
offices.
The idea, introduced yesterday by House Democrats,
has the backing of Schools Superintendent Pat Hamamoto, who has
advocated moving to a per-pupil system of allocating money for years.
It also has the general support of the governor, many other legislators,
some union leaders and members of the Board of Education.
“Basically what we want to do is give the schools
more control over their budget,” said Rep. K. Mark Takai,
D-34th (Pearl City, Newtown, Royal Summit). “We believe schools
cannot be in complete control until they control their finances.”
House Democrats hope to pass legislation this session
directing the Department of Education to move to this model of financing.
Senate Education Committee Chairman Sen. Norman Sakamoto, D-15th
(Waimalu, Airport, Salt Lake), said he belives the Senate would
also be willing to move to such a model by the end of this session.
The idea is not new, but was energized in the Legislature
by a recent study that indicated that school districts perform best
when principals control their school budget and are accountable
for student achievement.
The weighted per-pupil formula gives money to schools
based on the makeup of their student population; schools with high-poverty
students, learners for whom English is a second language, rural
or isolated populations or high teacher or student turnover might
receive more money per pupil. Special education students would also
get much more money than average.
Parents could choose what school their child attends,
and the money designated for their child would move to the new campus
with them.
Principals would have flexibility in spending, as
opposed to the current system in which many programs are forced
upon schools by the state office.
Hawai'i, the nation's only statewide, single district,
has been the target of much criticism for difficulty in navigating
its bureaucracy.
Now, principals control a limited budget and typically
get money from the state office for a certain number of employee
positions or certain types of programs.
Supporters say the proposed system, known as a weighted
student formula, would remove control over money from the central
office, giving schools the chance to choose their own academic programs,
the number of employees and types of positions.
The idea is based on the Seattle schools model, which
designates anywhere from $2,800 to $25,000 per pupil based on a
student's individual needs, as well as systems in Edmonton, Alberta,
and in Houston.
A recent study co-authored by University of California-Los
Angeles professor William Ouchi, who spoke at the Legislature a
few weeks ago, has had heavy influence on lawmakers.
Ouchi looked at nine school systems and their governance
structure, as well as six independent school systems, to compare
centralized and decentralized systems. The premise: that the structure
of district governance affects student achievement, and that school
districts perform best when principals control their school budget
and are held accountable for performance.
Heavily centralized school systems such as those in
New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles had lower student achievement
and often spent more money per pupil than the decentralized systems,
according to the study. Principals in Edmonton control about 92
percent of the district budget.
Gov. Linda Lingle's staff had introduced Ouchi to
House education leaders. Yesterday Lingle said the weighted student
formula would help move money into the classrooms and fits her philosophy
of local school boards. “I'm happy they are willing to be
open to some new ideans instead of just the same old thing,”
she said.
Rep. Roy Takumi, D-36th (Pearl City, Palisades),
said the system would eliminate the finger-pointing that now exists.
“Principals and teachers cannot say the system
is letting them down,” he said.
Hamamoto, a former principal, said the DOE started
looking into a per-pupil system in the early 1990's. “I believe
this will truly help improve education in Hawai'i and help empower
principals and members of the community to have ownership of their
schools,” she said.
But Hamamoto said they still need the buy-in of the
community, teachers, principals and the unions, which might have
to alter contractual agreements. She would like to see the new fiscal
system start with the new biennium in 2005, but that it would be
feasible to start with the 2004-2005 school year's budget.
Sakamoto said he wants to see a pilot test of the
weighted formula immediately.
“September's coming. Let's try it. This is a
small business idea. We don't need to go up several chains of command
and get the lawyers involved.”
Joan Husted, executive director of the Hawai's State
Teachers Association, said the weighted student formula should be
popular with teachers.
“The action needs to be at the schools,”
Husted said. “Our teachers will generally be happy to hear
that there shouldn't be dictates coming down from above.”
School board member Laura H. Thielen said she likes
the idea but wants to see how the weighted formula is calculated.
She also said that principals should have real control over whom
they hire and for the type of position.
“We don't want to perpetuate the system now
where the most senior teachers and the rural schools are left struggling
with high turnover,” she said.
Rep. Guy Ontai, R-37th (Mililani, Waipi'o), said
it would make school spending more open to the public and turn principals
into CEOs. “It's a very different model,” he said. “It's
a huge step in the right direction.”
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