Presentations

Dr. Ku Kahakalau:  Dr. Kahakalau presented on the history of the Charter school movement, focusing on native Hawaiian charter schools, and the many challenges the charter school movement has faced over the years.  Dr. Kahakalau talked about the importance of becoming a new district host culture charter school.  Dr. Kahakalau also talked about the Na Lei Na'auao Charter School Alliance and the rigorous academic program undertaken by the students at the 11 member charter schools located on 4 islands. 

Representative Roy Takumi:  Rep. Takumi, chair of the House committee on education presented on education reform and current bills passing out of the House of Representatives.  Rep. Takumi spoke on plans to make more money available to each school, based on a weighted student formula.  He also spoke on the importance of empowering each schools' principal and SCBM boards to make more decisions about ways each school allocates its respective budget. 

Laura Thielen, CARE Committee on Education:  Laura Thielen presented on behalf of the Citizens Achieving Reform in Education (CARE) committee panel appointed by Governor Lingle.  Thielen spoke on the importance of holding principles of each public school accountable for student performance in their individual school.  Thielen also spoke on the Governor's bill to de-centralize the education system by introducing locally elected school boards into each school district. 

Puanani Wilhelm, Education Specialist, Hawaii State Department of Education:  Puanani Wilhelm presented on behalf of DOE Superintendent Patricia Hamamoto.  Wilhelm presented on four important areas the DOE is focusing on in the public school system:  empowering principals and school communities; releasing the DOE from other state departments; providing meaningful feedback to parents and students; and community partnerships. 

Randy Roth, Education Policy Advisor to the Governor: Randy Roth presented on the importance of placing the local school board vote on the ballot.  Roth also spoke on the consistent low-rating the Hawaii public education system has been given in student achievement on standardized tests compared to other state education systems across the nation. Roth commented on the significance of getting funds down to the school level and holding principals both accountable for student achievement and responsible for student spending.  Roth also urged the attendees to contact their local representative and voice their concern about the Hawaii public school system.    

Lieutenant Governor James "Duke" Aiona:  Lieutenant Governor Aiona presented closing remarks in an inspirational speech on the public education system and its significance to the Hawaiian community. Lieutenant Governor Aiona encouraged the audience to speak to their local elected officials and share their mana'o with their representatives and senators on education reform.  The Lieutenant Governor also spoke about the rights of Native Hawaiian children to attend public schools that have safe-drug free campuses and allowing more money to flow directly into public school classrooms.  Lieutenant Governor Aiona commented on the importance of providing adequate funding for charter schools and continuing to fight for the creation of new additional charter schools.  The Lieutenant Governor concluded his remarks with a call to the Hawaiian community for their input, voice and mana'o on the important issue of education reform. 

Kamehameha Schools PASE:  Representatives from Kamehameha School's Policy Analysis and System Evaluation (PASE) division handed out two important informational briefs at the Educational Briefing.  The first brief summarized the enrollment figures at all three campuses as of September 1, 2003.  The brief, entitled KS Official Enrollment:  School Year 2003-04, also broke down enrollment numbers by district and includes statistics on newly admitted students and statistics on preschool enrollment at the 77 Kamehameha Schools preschool classrooms throughout the state.