Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 17, Number 6, 1 June 2000 — OHA-DOE partnership: $7.5 million for immersion [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OHA-DOE partnership: $7.5 million for immersion

By Paula Durbln Hawaiian language immersion in the public schools will receive up to $7.5 million in additional fiinding over five years as a result of the settlement of OHA vr. Department ofEducation. The settlement agreement with the DOE was approved by OHA's Board of Trustees April 27. A few days later, immersion smdents and teachers watched OHA Chair Clayton Hee, Schools Superintendent Paul Le Mahieu and Board of Education Chair Mitsugi Nakashima sign the agreement - along with a large-scale eheek symbolizing their partnership and commitment. At issue in OHA's 1995 lawsuit

against the DOE was insufficient funding of the immersion program. Between 1987 and 1999, the number of immersion sites increased from two to 17, whieh currently serve more than 1,700 students, and the DOE's supplementary appropriation rose from $50,000 in 1988 to $1,305,189. However increases in funding failed to keep paee with rising emollment, and spending fell from $1,845 per smdent in 1991-92 to $764 for the current school year. The settlement requires OHA to contribute $1 for every $2 the DOE spends on immersion above the current funding level. The DOE must continue to fund the program at $1,305,189 over the next five years and provide no less than $800,000 and

no more than $1 million in additional funding. OHA will provide between $400,000 and $500,000 for the program. At the ceremony, Hee praised the schools superintendent. "This state, in my view owes a debt to Paul LeMahieu because of his willingness to move forward, his proactive ability to sift through the arguments and a will to find a way," Hee said. For his part, LeMahieu emphasized the cooperative effort. "There is a natural tendency to focus on the dollar amount, but there is something else happening here." he said. "Trae support and tme success will only be realized with the partnership that cuts across agencies. That's what gives me the greatest optimism." ■

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