Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 21, Number 6, 1 June 2004 — Charter schools alternative to achieving excellence in education of Hawaiians [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Charter schools alternative to achieving excellence in education of Hawaiians

Aloha nui kākou e nā 'ōiwi 'ōlino. In the closing days of the 2004 Legislature, OHA was able to assist Nā Lei Na'auao, the consortium of Hawaiian charter schools, with passage of SB 3148, SD2, HD3, CD1. This bill "requires a study of the feasibility of establishing a host culture charter school district and a charter school district in order to solidify existing host culture focused charter schools, increase charter school autonomy, and provided opportunities for additional federal funding." The bill says, "The legislature finds that the charter school movement has gained momentum nationwide as a way to encourage innovation and excellenee in puhlie school education. Accountable directly to the students, parents, and communities they serve, charter schools are constantly developing novel ways to improve student achievement while providing an educational atmosphere that cannot be duplicated in traditional schools. The

legislature finds that the state needs to allow charter schools the freedom to develop fully. In some states, eaeh individual charter school is a loeal educational authority. In other states, there are varying ways for charters to be formed and governed. This Act seeks to address some of the questions that have arisen relating to the governance, administration, accountability and growth of the charter school movement in Hawai'i. The legislature further finds that article X, section 4 of the Hawai'i State Constitution requires the state to promote the study of Hawaiian culture, history, and language and provide for a Hawaiian educational program consisting of language, culture, and history in puhlie schools. The constitution further states that the use of community expertise shall be encouraged as a suitable and essential means in furtherance of the Hawaiian education program. In Hawai'i, many charter schools help to fulfill this mandate by engaging

their students in Hawaiian history, culture and language." The purpose of the Act is to: (1) Explore the opportunities as well as the ehallenges regarding creating multiple loeal educational authorities, adding school districts, creating non-contiguous charter school districts, changing the relationships among and between groups of charter schools, associations between charter schools and other schools, and the evolving relationships of these entities with existing parts of our puhlie school structure. The dynamics that may emerge from the changed charter school relationships with the federal government, State of Hawai'i, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Board of Education, Department of Education, and Charter School Administrative Office need to be clarified; and (2) study the feasibility of establishing a noncontiguous host culture charter school district and a noncontiguous charter school district in order to solidify existing host culture focused charter

schools, increase charter school autonomy, and provide opportunities for additional federal funding. The study shall, "include analysis of pertinent issues including but not limited to, (1) the financial and administrative implications of creating these additional school districts and of establishing loeal educational agency (LEA) status for the purpose of obtaining additional federal funding; (2) an analysis of how the new districts would interact administratively with the board of education and the existing charter schools administrative structure in the department of education; and (3) an analysis of whether the districts would violate the 14th amendment of the United States Constitution." The legislative reference bureau shall submit its feasibility study, including findings, recommendations, and any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than 20 days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2005. More to eome on this educational reform issue. 43/48 ■

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Haunani Apoliona, MSW I Trustee, At-large