Wednesday, November 13, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Thursday, February 25, 2016
New School Construction: Intentional misuse of taxpayer money
By Rep Bob McDermott @ 2:28 PM :: 6659 Views :: Education K-12

Recent DOE data shows that planned construction of a new Maui high school is and intentional misuse of taxpayers’ money.

News Release from Office of Rep Bob McDermott February 25, 2016

According to new DOE information the building of a $150 million high school planned for Kihei is not what is needed. Representative Bob McDermott has long held that the greatest need and future growth dictate that Leeward Oahu should be the state’s top priority. The new data would seem to prove him correct:

Current and projected student enrollment (provided by the DOE)
 
                                 Leeward Oahu          Maui
Campbell  Kapolei Baldwin  Maui
 
2015-2016                  3,086     2,063    1,408  1,849
2020-2021                  3,545     2,373    1,400   1,448                                              
New Students                 +769                 - 409

So, not only are schools in Ewa and Kapolei more overcrowded now, but they will continue to get more so, while Maui enrollment actual diminishes.

Percent of capacity (provided by the DOE)
                                 Leeward Oahu         Maui
Campbell  Kapolei Baldwin  Maui
 
2014-2015                 151%      118%     88%    120%
2020-2021                 177%      136%     83%      90%

Increase/Decrease      +23%    +18%     -5%   -30%

The DOE’s own enrollment numbers and projections are clear, West Oahu is in urgent need of a new high school. McDermott said, “the Governor’s new proposed building for Campbell is a half measure, and the day it’s completed Campbell and Kapolei will still be grossly over-crowded.

McDermott fears that decisions on school CIP budgets are becoming totally politicized. DOE Superintendent Kathryn Matayosi has not provided guidance to the Legislature with regards to the number one priority for a new high school. McDermott said, “She has refused to answer my written and pointed question – “what is the DOE’s number one priority for a new high school?” This has allowed legislators to carve up available money on the basis of favoritism and deal making at the state capitol. The Department of Education, who should be making recommendations on where new construction is really needed, based on hard data, seems to want to have nothing to do with it. “This can only be described as deliberate misfeasance,” said Representative McDermott. “And sadly, it business as usual.”

McDermott said the DOE has been co-opted to keep their mouths shut and go along with the powerful politicians who want to deliver pork to their islands. The numbers say it’s not needed, not to mention the huge operational costs of another high school being layered onto an already thinly stretched DOE budget; once built the implementation of the student weighting format will cause Maui and Baldwin high schools to have anemic funding level due to the transfer of students to Kihei, meaning loss of teachers, programs and extracurricular activities.

McDermott has called on Governor Ige to restore transparency to his administrative departments and especially the DOE, so that legislators can be fully informed where facilities are actually needed before committing such large amounts in CIP budgeting.

###

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii Military History

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Together

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

July 4 in Hawaii

Land and Power in Hawaii

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii