Hawaii DOE presents targeted budget for student achievement

The 2014-15 fiscal year supplemental budget request focuses on sustaining reforms and building on the extraordinary progress made by Hawaii's educators and students.

The Department's Budget  -- Learn more about the DOE's budget, including budget breakdown and cycle, supplemental requests, per-pupil funding and more.

News Release from Hawaii DoE 14-Jan-2014

The Hawaii State Department of Education (DOE) this morning presented its Fiscal Year 2014-2015 Supplemental Budget Request before the Senate Ways and Means and House Finance Committees in the State Capitol Auditorium. The budget focuses on the DOE’s strategic goals. The request totals $31.7 million in operating funds, which puts the DOE at its current funding levels, and $164 million in Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) funds.

“Our budget aligns with our Strategic Plan and targeted goals for the success of our students, staff and department,”stated Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi. “We have identified the most critical components to execute our strategic initiatives. The progress that we’ve made over the past two years is extraordinary. This budget provides the necessary supports that educators deserve to stay on course and build on our progress.”

The Superintendent noted recent achievements by students and educators that have brought acclaim to Hawaii, including:

• Hawaii students making the highest gains in the nation in reading and math performance across all tested grades in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).
• An increase of students enrolled in college and fewer students needing remediation.
• National recognition of program efforts to ensure teacher preparation and development are aligned with college-and career-ready standards.

“The core budget is aligned to support ongoing reform efforts,”said Amy Kunz, assistant superintendent & chief financial officer, Office of Fiscal Services. “These are targeted requests based on measurable results.”

The DOE plans on tackling numerous projects under the CIP supplemental request, including:

• Air condition/heat abatement acceleration program ($25 million)
• ​Science classroom upgrades at 12 high schools ($10 million)

“The department’s supplemental CIP request reflects the minimum level of funding necessary to maintain recent improvements and to remain diligent on the upkeep of our schools,”noted Raymond L’Heureux, assistant superintendent, Office of School Facilities and Support Services.

View the full budget presentation here. Read more about the 2013 DOE Accomplishments by reading our Year in Review​.

The Hawaii State Department of Education is the ninth largest U.S. school district and the only statewide educational system in the country. It is comprised of 288 schools and serves more than 185,000 students. Hawaii's public school system was established in 1840 by King Kamehameha III. To learn more, visit HawaiiPublicSchools.org.