Bill Text: HI SCR171 | 2013 | Regular Session | Introduced

Hawaii Senate Concurrent Resolution 171 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Public Charter Schools Equitable Federal Funding Task Force

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-03-19 - Referred to EDU, WAM. [SCR171 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2013-SCR171-Introduced.html

THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	171
TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2013
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF education TO CONVENE A PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS EQUITABLE FEDERAL FUNDING TASK FORCE TO study and make recommendations on enhancing HAWAII'S EFFORTS TO OBTAIN INCREASED FEDERAL FUNDING FOR PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS and correcting any INEQUITIES or inconsistencies IN DISTRIBUTION OF FEDERAL FUNDING AMONG PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS.

WHEREAS, charter schools in Hawaii are public schools established with the intent and purpose of supporting new approaches to public education that accommodate individual needs of students, provide the State with successful templates that dramatically improve educational standards for the twenty-first century, and create genuine opportunities for communities to implement innovative models of community-based education; and

WHEREAS, questions have been raised regarding parity of federal funding for public charter school students, Hawaii Department of Education services and funding of public charter school students, and the distribution of formula-based funding to public charter schools; and

WHEREAS, the Task Force on Charter School Governance, Accountability, and Authority, established by Act 130, Session Laws of Hawaii 2011, in its report to the Legislature stated in pertinent part (p. 1):

"Specifically, the goal of the Task Force was to provide clarity to the relationships, responsibilities, and lines of accountability and authority among stakeholders of Hawaii's charter school system, including the Board of Education, Department of Education, Charter School Administrative Office, Charter School Review Panel, and local school boards"; and

WHEREAS, the Task Force further stated in pertinent part (p. 4):

"To meet the objectives of Act 130, the Task Force was ultimately guided by a statement made by NACSA [National Association of Charter School Authorizers]: "Autonomy Plus Accountability Equals Increased Student Outcomes." As noted in NACSA's report, while Hawaii has historically been very strong on giving autonomy to charter schools, it is severely lacking in the area of accountability, resulting in serious questions about student outcomes"; and

WHEREAS, with regard to funding, the Task Force stated in pertinent part (pp. 13-14):

"The final option explored by the working group was what the Task Force deemed the "Nuclear Model." Under the Nuclear Model, a separate support office would not be established. Instead, this scenario would require the direct interaction of the Department of Education and the authorizer over access to and distribution of federal funds. It would also require direct reporting from the authorizer to the Department in meeting federal funding reporting requirements. . . .

* * *

In order to implement the Nuclear Model discussed above, the Task Force recommends the adoption of statutory language requiring the authorizer to:

* * *

[r]eceive per pupil funding from the Department of Budget and Finance and distribute the funding to the public charter school it authorizes"; and

WHEREAS, under the subheading "Items for Continued Discussion", the Task Force stated in pertinent part (p. 20):

"The Task Force recognizes the enormity of challenges facing Hawaii's charter school system. Due to the short time line available to the Task Force, and the complexity of the issues discussed, the Task Force was unable to address certain issues in great detail. The Task Force believes the following issues deserve continued discussion among charter school stakeholders:

(1) Special education issues;

(2) Funding, including facilities and transportation; and

(3) Collective bargaining"; and

WHEREAS, the inconsistent calculation of charter school funding should be addressed to ensure that an equitable amount of resources and opportunities for learning are provided to charter school students and public non-charter school students alike; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-seventh Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2013, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Department of Education is requested to convene a public charter schools equitable federal funding task force to study and make recommendations to the Legislature on:

(1) Enhancing Hawaii's efforts to obtain increased federal funding for public charter schools; and

(2) Correcting any inequities or inconsistencies in distribution of federal funding among public charter schools;

to ensure that an equitable level of resources and opportunities for learning are provided to charter school students and non-charter public school students; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the public charter schools equitable federal funding task force be composed of the following members:

(1) The Chairperson of the Senate Education Committee, or the Chairperson's designee;

(2) The Chairperson of the House Education Committee, or the Chairperson's designee;

(3) The Director of Finance, or the Director's designee;

(4) The Chairperson of the Board of Education, or the Chairperson's designee;

(5) The Chairperson of the Charter School Commission, or the Chairperson's designee;

(6) The Administrator of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs or the Administrator's designee;

(7) The Superintendent of Education, or the Superintendent's designee;

(8) The Federal Programs Officer of the Department of Education, or the Officer's designee;

(9) The Chief Financial Officer of the Department of Education, or the Chief Financial Officer's designee;

(10) The Executive Director of the Hawaii Public Charter School Network, or the Executive Director's designee;

(11) The Chief Executive Officer of Kamehameha Schools, or the Chief Executive Officer's designee;

(12) The Chief Executive Officer of Kanu o ka �Aina Learning Ohana, or the Chief Executive Officer's designee; and

(13) The Chief Executive Officer of Ho�okako�o Corporation, or the Chief Executive Officer's designee; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the public charter schools equitable federal funding task force examine the following in making its determinations: all previous Hawaii legislative task force reports and studies and national comparisons of federal funding disbursement methods and formulas, and service formulas for distribution; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the public charter schools equitable federal funding task force report findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2014; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the public charter schools equitable federal funding task force dissolve on the day after the filing of its report to the Legislature; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Senate Education Committee, Chairperson of the House Education Committee, Director of Finance, Chairperson of the Board of Education, Superintendent of Education, Chairperson of the Charter School Commission, Administrator of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Executive Director of the Hawaii Public Charter School Network, Chief Executive Officer of Kamehameha Schools, Chief Executive Officer of Kanu o ka �Aina Learning Ohana, and Chief Executive Officer of Ho�okako�o Corporation.