Legislature outlines concerns on distance learning, plans for reopening schools, lack of spending plan

News Release from Hawaii Legislature, June 26, 2020

The Hawai‘i State Legislature sent a letter to the Board of Education today stating that they are “extremely concerned” about distance learning and plans for reopening schools.

The letter outlines low participation rates for distance learning, internet connectivity and device access inequities among students, and the lack of a concise plan for how they will spend the federal CARES Act funding they have received.

The letter is signed by Senate President Ron Kouchi and House Speaker Scott Saiki, Senate Education Committee Chair Michelle Kidani and her House counterpart Representative Justin Woodson, and budget committee chairs Senator Donovan Dela Cruz and Representative Sylvia Luke.

The legislators ask that the Board of Education’s Finance and Infrastructure Committee convene an emergency meeting on July 2nd to vet the Department’s plan for financial implications and resource requirements and provide a report to the Legislature, before they will consider allocating any additional funding.

PDF: Legislators’ Letter to DOE 

UPDATE: HSTA reaches school reopening agreement with state of Hawaii

2017: Sex, Lies, and Repetitious Badgering: Meet Hawaii’s New Superintendent of Schools

April 22, 2020: How Many DoE Students are Receiving Consistent Education? -- Congressional Delegation Demands Answers

June 23, 2020: Survey: Teachers Report Low Participation in Online Learning 

June 25, 2020: Kauai DoE Pilot Program to Continue 'Distance Learning' Scam with no Evaluations Until Fall of 2021

KHON: The letter criticized the DOE’s “dismal results” of distance learning, which received $42 million in federal CARES funds. 

KITV: Kishimoto gave an extensive presentation to the Senate Special Committee on COVID-19 on June 19, 2020, which is available to view here.