A Shared Vision
The Hawaii State Department of Education is poised to reconfigure itself to align with the major elements of its education reform plan. As a single, statewide school system, the Department operates as both the State Education Agency (SEA) and the Local Education Agency (LEA). Additionally, Hawaii funds schools through legislative allocation of State general funds instead of local real property taxes. Thus, education dollars are allocated centrally, but are implemented through a weighted student formula funding model to ensure that resources follow students and can be directed strategically by schools. These governance and funding mechanisms enable Hawaii's public schools system to leverage reform through strategic direction and reallocation of resources.
Successful reconfiguration requires the department to change how it approaches human resource management, information technology, curriculum, student support, resource allocation, and performance management. We are committed to aligning resources--time, funds, and people--to our plan of action and have already begun the process of redefining and reorganizing our central offices to carry out our strategic reforms.
November 2010
