THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

553

TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2017

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

Relating to education.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the Reinventing Education Act of 2004 (Act 51, Session Laws of Hawaii 2004) established a weighted student formula to allocate moneys to schools according to the different costs of educating students with different needs.  Despite the intended equitable distribution of funds, the legislature finds that the weighted student formula has placed small, remote schools at a disadvantage.  In the case of Hāna high and elementary school, the budgetary shortfall has resulted in the loss of several well-qualified teachers and has threatened the school's ability to offer minimum course requirements for students to earn high school diplomas.  If Hāna high school is unable to offer its students the requisite courses for graduation, those students will have to endure a nearly forty-mile, two-hour drive away, to the next closest public high school, King Kekaulike high school.

     The legislature finds that despite the current economic situation, remote schools should be funded to retain the minimal personnel and resources necessary to graduate students.  As of 2005, six schools were excepted from weighted student formula allocations, receiving instead categorical allotments that guarantee the minimum number of positions and amount of resources to ensure that school operations can continue.

     The purpose of this Act is to require:

     (1)  That funding allocations for remote schools be determined by categorical allotments rather than the weighted student formula; and

     (2)  Hāna high and elementary school on Maui to have a minimum number of teachers who do not share support staff roles.

     SECTION 2.  Section 302A-1303.6, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§302A-1303.6  Weighted student formula.  (a)  Based upon recommendations from the committee on weights, the board of education may adopt a weighted student formula for the allocation of moneys to public schools that takes into account the educational needs of each student.  The department, upon the receipt of appropriated moneys, shall use the weighted student formula to allocate funds to public schools.  Principals shall expend moneys provided to the principals' schools.  This section shall only apply to charter schools for fiscal years in which the charter schools elect pursuant to section 302D-29 to receive allocations according to the procedures and methodology used to calculate the weighted student formula allocation.

     (b)  For purposes of subsection (a), a remote school, as defined in subsection (c), and other schools designated by the committee on weights shall not be allocated operating funds using the weighted student formula and shall instead be allocated operating funds by categorical allotments that guarantee the funding of a minimum number of instructional and support staff positions to ensure that at least minimum course requirements are maintained; provided that:

     (1)  Instructional positions shall not be combined with support staff positions; and

     (2)  There shall be a minimum of two elementary school teachers per elementary grade level.

     (c)  For purposes of this section, "remote school" means any public school, as defined in section 302A-101, except charter schools governed by chapter 302D, that is a high school:

     (1)  Located at least a one-hour drive away from the next nearest public high school; or

     (2)  Located on the island of Lanai, Molokai, or Niihau;

provided that if a high school is combined with an elementary, middle, intermediate, or other lower level of schooling, that entire school shall be deemed a high school for the purposes of this subsection."

     SECTION 3.  For purposes of this Act, Hāna high and elementary school shall have:

     (1)  A minimum of five middle school classroom teachers;

     (2)  A minimum of five middle school teachers;

     (3)  A minimum of five high school classroom teachers;

     (4)  Two reading non-classroom teachers; and

     (5)  An induction and mentoring non-classroom teacher.

     SECTION 4.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2017.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

Weighted Student Formula; Exception; Remote Schools; Hāna High and Elementary School

 

Description:

Requires remote schools to be allocated funds using categorical allotments, rather than through the weighted student formula.  Defines a remote school as any public school that is a high school located at least a one-hour drive away from the next nearest high school or a high school located on the island of Lanai, Molokai, or Niihau.  Specifies minimum number of teachers for Hāna high and elementary school.

 

 

 

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