Report Title:

Weighted Student Formula

Description:

Requires the Committee on Weights and Department of Education to:  (1)  Allow schools to use their own average teacher salary, rather than the statewide average, when calculating their individual budgets; and (2)  Factor in the need to train new teachers at schools with greater than twenty per cent annual teacher turnover.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	1842
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

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

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that two urgent changes must be made to the weighted student formula.

     Currently, the weighted student formula takes into account the statewide average teacher salary for every school's budget.  However, this places an unfair burden on schools with a large number of new teachers who command a lower salary than the average.  For example, at Waianae high school, the average teacher salary is only $46,333.  Nevertheless, under the statewide average, the school must pay, in theory, $67,336 for each of its teachers.  This situation is devastating for schools like Waianae high school.  Although the school only pays $7,500,000 in teacher salaries each year, the department's budget indicates that $10,900,000 should go toward that purpose, so the school now loses over $3,400,000 to subsidize other schools with higher average teacher salaries.

     Also, the weighted student formula does not consider teacher turnover rates.  Schools in rural districts often suffer from high teacher turnover rates.  Schools in Waianae and Makaha experience turnover of more than twenty per cent.  Prior to the implementation of the weighted student formula, rural districts were supplied with centrally-funded positions, such as mentor and resource teachers to provide critical training for new teachers.  In the past, the Waianae area depended on six mentor teachers and several resource teachers to train their new teachers and provide other special services tailored to rural districts.  Under the weighted student formula, this is no longer possible. 

     The weighted student formula is intended to grant principals more flexibility to determine their budgets and faculty.  The current situation makes this unachievable for some schools.  Therefore, the purpose of this Act is to require the committee on weights and department of education to adjust the weighted student formula to resolve the aforementioned issues.

     SECTION 2.  The committee on weights, established pursuant to section 302A-1303.5, and department of education shall:

     (1)  Allow schools to use their own average teacher salary,         rather than the statewide average, when calculating           their individual budgets; and

     (2)  Factor in the need to train new teachers at schools            with greater than twenty per cent annual teacher                   turnover.

     SECTION 3.  Nothing in this Act shall be construed to reduce a school's existing allocation under the weighted student formula.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

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