Hawaii public charter schools are positioned for change this year. New legislation is poised to overhaul the entire management structure of the charter school system, and will ultimately provide Hawaii with a structure that establishes clear lines of authority.
As a member of the local school board governing Myron B. Thompson Academy (MBTA), I support these new changes because they will ensure the accountability of all charter school stakeholders.
Two years ago, MBTA examined and ultimately overhauled its own operational management and governance structure.
Working with a nationally recognized expert on charter school governance, our board designed and implemented a new policy governance structure that provides the foundation for better governance and increased accountability at the school.
We meet on a regular basis not only to convene monthly meetings, but also to evaluate each school policy individually so that all school policies are reviewed annually by the end of the year.
As a model of good governance, MBTA also works with the state Ethics Commission and Office of the Attorney General to review all school policies and to ensure policies and practices comply with state laws and regulations. Our open-door policy allows us to look to these offices for ethical and legal guidance on any issues on an as-needed basis.
Over the years, our board has made terrific progress and significant steps toward bettering the governance structure of an educational model that we fully support. We are, however, always looking to review our practices with a hard eye. The school stands ready to quickly and efficiently address any irregularities, implement clearer policies and procedures, and put in place new financial management operations and protocol whenever need arises.
A glance at MBTA’s educational achievements is telling evidence of how students thrive at well-managed, well-governed charter schools.
Out of Hawaii’s 31 charter schools, MBTA ranks second from the top in combined No Child Left Behind reading and math assessments. MBTA also meets all Adequate Yearly Progress standards — an achievement that many Department of Education high schools cannot match — and graduates 90 percent of its student body compared to the state average of 80 percent. Last year, all MBTA courses met state standards and state education goals.
Having served three years as co-chairman of Myron B. Thompson Academy’s board, a school named after, that stands for, and whose students exhibit the same values as my father, I am a strong supporter of public charter schools. I firmly believe charter schools are a proven educational model that can provide the best alternative to public education in the state. As MBTA charts new ground, I invite you to learn from our successes and rise to the challenge of change that the new legislation brings.
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ON VACATION: "On Politics" columnist Richard Borreca is on vacation.
