More reforms needed to assure educational success

Hawaii families have much to celebrate.

Public school children today learn a grade-and-a-half more content compared to 10 years ago. U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan termed Hawaii’s gains on the recent National Assessment of Educational Progress "noteworthy" — and we wholeheartedly agree.

Hawaii’s educational accomplishments are grounded in deep structural changes passed by the 2004 state Legislature. Specifically, Act 51 organized Hawaii’s 255 public non-charter schools into 15 geographic complex areas, provided greater control to the state Department of Education (DOE) over operational functions, converted principals to 12-month employees in exchange for performance contracts, shifted more than 70 percent of budgetary decision-making to principals, and gave parents and community members more voice in the direction of their schools through creation of School Community Councils.

As co-chairs of the Hawaii Business Roundtable’s Education Committee, we propose a next set of structural changes for educational success — for we believe Hawaii’s learning gains remain fragile.

Beginning with our earliest learners, half of our keiki do not attend preschool and are left behind even before kindergarten. And next school year, 5,000 more 4-year-olds will be left behind by the change in kindergarten age.

Progress catalyzed by Hawaii’s participation in Race to the Top could easily stall. And the bar for all students has again been raised, by more challenging K-12 Common Core State Standards and an increasingly competitive world where innovation and technological savvy are key to economic success.

The Roundtable believes that three actions by our Legislature, the governor, the Board of Education and the DOE are critical:

» Provide high-quality early learning opportunities for all our keiki.

In June 2012 the Legislature passed Act 178, which created the governor’s Executive Office of Early Learning. It’s time to support its plan to develop a statewide early childhood system consisting of public and private providers alike. Hawaii remains one of only 11 states without a statewide preschool system. This plan would make sure that more children enter kindergarten ready to learn. Implementing the plan, however, first requires voting "yes" in the next general election to a constitutional amendment that would allow public funding of community preschools.

» Raise the schools superintendent’s pay to be nationally competitive.

The Board of Education must be able to attract and retain talent within the highest level of leadership. Our schools superintendent oversees the nation’s ninth-largest school district, with more than 180,000 students, 25,000 employees and a $1.7 billion budget. Paying the position $150,000 does not compare to the responsibility; nationally, large school districts pay at least twice this amount.

» Support schools through clearly delineated central office functions.

Examples include the newly formed Leadership Institute, which grooms the next generation of instructional leaders, and the Office of Strategic Reform, which provides internal accountability for strategic plan implementation and support for struggling schools. Each function is critical yet none receives general funds.

For eight years, the DOE repeatedly absorbed funding cuts by slashing support functions to keep student/ teacher ratios low and preserve funding for schools. That was the right call. Today, though, we ask far more of students and adults during a time of far less.

Educating all children to high standards begins in preschool and ends in college. Doing so demands new investments and a reinvigorated DOE central office. Through the department’s experience with the new strategic plan, its leaders know where to invest in leadership, innovation and support.

Taking these actions requires that trust be built between leaders in public office, education and labor, all in the name of putting children first.

Hawaii is fortunate that the state’s balance sheet looks strong today. We hope this means important resources can be provided toward continued improve- ment in educational achievement for our children.