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

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

REQUESTING THE CONVENING OF A TASK FORCE TO ESTABLISH A CONSISTENT FUNDING FORMULA, PROCESS, OR BOTH, BY WHICH EQUITABLE FUNDING TO CHARTER SCHOOLS IS DETERMINED.

     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; and

     (6)  A representative of the Hookakoo Corporation,

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 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 to be paid by charter schools; and

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

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

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title: 

Charter Schools Funding Task Force