The furlough Friday fiasco has increased scrutiny of Hawai‘i’s public education system. For over 30 years, Hawai‘i has ranked third worst in the nation in education. An entire generation has seen more money pour into Hawai‘i’s Department of Education and
The furlough Friday fiasco has increased scrutiny of Hawai‘i’s public education system. For over 30 years, Hawai‘i has ranked third worst in the nation in education. An entire generation has seen more money pour into Hawai‘i’s Department of Education and no improved benefits for Hawai‘i’s students and even less accountability for the failures of the system.
Recently the state House and Senate Republican caucuses introduced legislation aimed at revamping the Hawai‘i’s public education system. The Keiki Investment and Development of Schools Act of 2010 advocates for a comprehensive managerial audit the DOE and incorporating the DOE superintendent into the governor’s cabinet. Both promise greater accountability within the DOE.
The DOE is long overdue for a comprehensive managerial audit; the last one was in 1973. A comprehensive audit of the DOE is necessary to give taxpayers and beneficiaries of the public education system a better idea of where DOE funding is spent. In 2008, an audit of the DOE’s Hawai‘ian Studies program found millions of dollars unaccounted for and a lack of clear policies from the DOE/BOE to help perpetuate the positive impact of the program. If this is what is happening in only one of the programs in the DOE, we can only guess what is happening in the dozens of other programs.
The state budget has continually allocated more money to the DOE with no promise of a return on investment. In fiscal year 2010, public education is set to receive 41 percent of the state’s general operating funds. If history repeats itself, more money will not yield improved resources or performance for public school students. Before taxpayers are asked to open up their wallets with more tax increases, they should know where the money is going right now.
An audit will also shine light on the bigger picture — the DOE’s heavily bureaucratic and centralized structure. Hawai‘i is the only state with a statewide public education system. This bureaucratic system is convoluted and stores too much power in the hands of those least responsible for the quality education of our public school students.
University of Manoa professor Randall W. Roth writes, “With the DOE/BOE, Legislature and governor each trying to run the schools, there have been problems with coordination, coherence and accountability.” He continues, “Because most of the key-decisions have always been made outside the schools, and union contracts de-link each principal’s salary, benefits and job security from student achievement, the education system in Hawai‘i has been described as ‘top-down’ and ‘system-centered,’ as opposed to ‘school-center.’”
By bringing the DOE superintendent into the governor’s cabinet, there will be a clear understanding of where money is going and a place for the buck to stop. Teachers and parents will have a clear chain of command when a concern arises and administrators will be more accountable to the needs of teachers and parents. Most importantly, system administrators would be directly accountable for the performance of the students.
The most important thing we must learn from furlough Fridays is that quick and simple fixes, like more money, have not and will not improve Hawai‘i’s public schools. Hawai‘i’s children deserve our thoughtfulness, foresight and utmost energy in helping improve their classrooms. By auditing and incorporating the DOE into the governor’s cabinet, Hawai‘i lawmakers can lay a foundation for, a clear path of accountability in the DOE, and, most importantly, a flourishing public education system for Hawai‘i’s keiki.
•Jonah Kuhio-Ka‘auwai is the chair of the Hawai‘i Republican Party. He is a regularly featured Leading Voices columnist for The Garden Island.
