HONOLULU — The Senate Ways and Means Committee wants to give more money to Hawaii’s public schools to help them tackle ambitious reform initiatives. HONOLULU — The Senate Ways and Means Committee wants to give more money to Hawaii’s public
HONOLULU — The Senate Ways and Means Committee wants to give more money to Hawaii’s public schools to help them tackle ambitious reform initiatives.
The committee on Monday proposed giving the Department of Education $15 million more than it requested for the upcoming fiscal year.
“Clearly, making a significant investment in education has been the committee’s top priority,” Ways and Means Chairman David Ige told committee members. “This will provide additional funding to each and every one of the schools in your community.”
The additional funding demonstrates the Senate’s commitment to providing schools the resources they need to implement comprehensive reforms under Hawaii’s Race to the Top, said Ige, D-Aiea-Pearl City.
The education budget amendments are just some of the changes the committee proposed in its first draft of the state budget bill. The Senate version takes into account the Council on Revenues’ recent upgraded economic forecast, which gives the Legislature a bit more breathing room than anticipated when lawmakers opened the session in January.
The committee has proposed restoring critical positions cut during the economic recession, including plant inspectors and boiler and elevator inspectors.
In addition, the committee wants to give an extra $3 million to the school meal program to offset administrative budget cuts that have led to increased lunch prices.
The new budget draft also includes funding for a new executive office on early learning, as well as $2.5 million for the community school for adults programs.
Charter schools, which have fought for per pupil funding that is equitable with traditional public schools, will also see larger allocations based on projected enrollment. “This budget does provide equal funding for charter schools and for public schools,” Ige said.
Libraries would see their first funding increase in years — $500,000 for new books and materials. “State libraries have gone without for several years now,” Ige pointed out.
The House and Senate must agree on all amendments before the budget is sent to the governor in May.
