SCR108 SD2.DOC

WHEREAS, charter schools in Hawaii are public schools funded out of the Department of Education's budget; and

WHEREAS, section 302B‑12, Hawaii Revised Statutes, provides some direction in determining which categories of funds are included in the calculation of per-pupil funding to charter schools; and

WHEREAS, despite existing law, issues regarding the parity of per-pupil funding to charter schools versus non-charter public schools have arisen, with no resolution because of disagreement over what is included and excluded in the calculation of the per-pupil allocations; 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; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2010, the House of Representatives concurring, that the following are requested to convene as members of the Charter Schools Funding Task Force:

(1) The Chief Financial Officer of the Charter School Administrative Office;

(2) The Chief Financial Officer of the Department of Education;

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

(4) The Chairperson of the House of Representatives Committee on Finance;

(5) The Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means;

(6) A representative of the Hookakoo Corporation;

(7) The Executive Director of the Hawaii Charter Schools Network, or the Executive Director's designee; and

(8) A representative of the Charter School Review Panel,

to determine a funding formula, process, or both, to be used by all agencies in the calculation of charter school funding in the State; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Charter Schools Funding Task Force is requested to examine the following in making its determinations:

(1) Detailed information on the existing funding sources of the charter schools' per-pupil allocation;

(2) Detailed information on the Department of Budget and Finance's method of calculating the Department of Education's per-pupil allocation and the charter schools' per-pupil allocation amounts;

(3) Discrepancies and the reasons for discrepancies in calculations of per-pupil allocations for non-charter public schools and charter schools by various agencies; and

(4) The portion of debt service, repair and maintenance, and capital improvement expenses that should be paid by charter schools; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Charter School Administrative Office is requested to provide staff support for the Task Force; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Charter Schools Funding Task Force is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2011; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this measure is not intended to hinder or impede the enactment of legislation addressing issues relating to charter school funding during the Regular Session of 2010 or any Special Session of 2010 that may be convened; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Superintendent of Education, Executive Director of the Charter School Administrative Office, Chairperson of the Charter School Review Panel, Chief Financial Officer of the Charter School Administrative Office, Chief Financial Officer of the Department of Education, Director of Finance, President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chairperson of the House of Representatives Committee on Finance, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, CEO/Executive Director of Hookakoo Corporation, and Executive Director of the Hawaii Charter Schools Network.

Report Title:

Charter Schools Funding Task Force

THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	108
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2010		S.D. 2
STATE OF HAWAII