HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	27
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2015
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

 

requesting the department of education to consider including a base amount in the weighted student formula to cover physical plant operations.

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, Act 51, Session Laws of Hawaii 2004, established a weighted student formula to help ensure that moneys go to schools with the greatest need and to place more moneys at the discretion of individual schools; and

 

     WHEREAS, a significant advantage of the weighted student formula is that principals have the authority to make funding decisions based on the needs of their own school; and

 

     WHEREAS, the weighted student formula works by allocating a specific dollar amount to educate each enrolled student, with additional money allocated to educate students with identified characteristics that may impact their learning and achievement; and

 

     WHEREAS, the student characteristics accounted for in the 2014-2015 school year include a grade level adjustment, English language learner status, economic disadvantage, transiency, and gifted and talented status; and

 

     WHEREAS, school characteristics that are given weight in the formula include a school's location on a neighbor island; and

 

     WHEREAS, the weighted student formula also allocates base funding per school based on school type; and

 

     WHEREAS, school types differentiated for the purposes of allocating base funding include elementary schools; multi-track elementary schools; middle schools; multi-track middle schools; high schools; and K-12, K-8, and 6-12 combination schools; and

 

     WHEREAS, the amount of base funding allocated per school does not factor in the size of the school or school grounds; and

 

     WHEREAS, the larger the school campus, the greater the need for physical plant resources, including custodians and security; and

 

     WHEREAS, schools with large physical plant resource needs and relatively small enrollments are particularly disadvantaged under the current formula; and

 

     WHEREAS, schools with significant acreage and physical plant costs require additional funding to adequately maintain and secure the school campus for the health and safety of students and staff; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-eighth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2015, that this body requests the Department of Education to consider including a base amount in the weighted student formula to cover physical plant operations, including maintenance and security needs; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education consult with the Committee on Weights to consider school acreage as a factor in determining the base amount allocated for physical plant operations; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Education, Superintendent of Education, and Chairperson of the Committee on Weights.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title: 

Committee on Weights; Base Funding; Physical Plant Operations