REPORT TITLE:
Kau High and Pahala Elem.


DESCRIPTION:
Appropriates funds to the department of education and the
department of health to separate the administration of Kau High
and Pahala Elementary School on the island of Hawaii.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                             
THE SENATE                              S.B. NO.           24
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                     
STATE OF HAWAII                                                 
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION FOR KAU HIGH
   AND PAHALA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 70 and Senate
 
 2 Resolution No. 60, adopted during the regular session of 1991,
 
 3 requested a report by the department of education on the need to
 
 4 separate the administration of multilevel schools in Pahoa,
 
 5 Honokaa, Kohala, and Kau on the island of Hawaii.  Multilevel
 
 6 schools are those in which one school and one administration
 
 7 handle grades K-12.
 
 8      The report states that the genesis of the K-12 system was to
 
 9 serve the sugar plantation communities.  In the early 1970s,
 
10 however, these communities underwent a period of change as the
 
11 sugar plantations began consolidating and closing their
 
12 operations.  The systems now are not serving the student
 
13 population to the best of their ability.
 
14      Student achievement, as measured by standardized tests,
 
15 indicate that students in K-12 settings do not fare as well as
 
16 their counterparts in settings with separate administrative
 
17 units.  Principals rarely have the range of experience that
 
18 covers the K-12 spectrum and therefore lack the basic level of
 

 
Page 2                                                     
                                     S.B. NO.           24
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 understanding of the curriculum on one of the levels.
 
 2      By creating separate administrative units within each school
 
 3 facility, clear lines of communication can be established, with
 
 4 adequate support services available for students and parents.
 
 5 The widespread consensus is that the separation of the larger
 
 6 K-12 schools into two administrative units would greatly benefit
 
 7 the overall cohesiveness of the units and ultimately have a
 
 8 positive effect on student achievement.
 
 9      In 1995, the legislature funded one clerk typist position,
 
10 one school administrative services assistant (SASA) position, and
 
11 one school health aide position each; and approved the conversion
 
12 of existing educational officer positions to create one principal
 
13 position each, for Honokaa Elementary School and Kohala
 
14 Elementary School.  The possibility of separating Kau High and
 
15 Pahala Elementary School into two administrative entities has
 
16 been discussed with administrators, staff, and parents at this
 
17 school.  Kau High and Pahala Elementary School is very much in
 
18 favor of dividing into K-6 and 7-12 units.
 
19      As the intent of this change is not to build a new school
 
20 but to establish a separate administration, the costs are limited
 
21 to adding five new positions for the elementary school of Kau
 
22 High and Pahala Elementary School:  principal, school
 

 
 
 
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                                     S.B. NO.           24
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 administrative services assistant, clerk-typist, school health
 
 2 aide, and educational assistant; renovating existing office
 
 3 space; and appropriating funds for one-time start-up costs for
 
 4 supplies and equipment.
 
 5      SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
 6 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $156,683, or so much
 
 7 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000, and the
 
 8 sum of $125,902, or so much thereof as may be necessary for
 
 9 fiscal year 2000-2001, to establish a separate level of
 
10 administration for the lower grades of Kau High and Pahala
 
11 Elementary School:
 
12                                    FY 1999-2000    FY 2000-2001
 
13      Department of Education
 
14           Personnel                  $ 89,248        $107,098
 
15           Facilities                   25,000        
 
16           Supplies and equipment       26,765        
 
17      Department of Health
 
18           Personnel                    15,670          18,804
 
19           Facilities                                 
 
20           Supplies and equipment                             
 
21                Total                 $156,683        $125,902
 
22      SECTION 3.  The sums appropriated shall be expended by the
 

 
 
 
Page 4                                                     
                                     S.B. NO.           24
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 department of education and the department of health,
 
 2 respectively, for the purposes of this Act.
 
 3      SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 1999.
 
 4 
 
 5                           INTRODUCED BY:_________________________