Heidi Armstrong

The discussion and recommendation for board action on the 2007 Committee on Weights' recommendations on the Weighted Student Formula (WSF). The recommendation includes funds to include in WSF, student characteristics to be weighted to receive additional funds, and school size adjustment.

This document outlines the Department of Education's program codes and their descriptions, detailing various initiatives aimed at achieving educational objectives. Key focus areas include school-based budgeting for academic proficiency and culturally responsive environments, special education and student support services for holistic student development, instructional support for capacity building and strategic plan goal monitoring, state administration for operational facilitation, school support services, and community services for lifelong learning.

The document provides an appropriation summary for the Department of Education's FY 2022-23 base operating budget. It includes details on general and non-general funds, general funds only, and non-general fund ceilings. The summary covers various programs such as school-based budgeting, special education and student support services, instructional support, state administration, school support, and school community services. It also includes information on one-time budget appropriations for facilities repair and maintenance projects.

The memo recommends the Board of Education adopt the Department of Education's proposal for further implementation of the Weighted Student Formula (WSF). The Department proposes to continue implementing the current Board-adopted WSF at 15% of the total WSF funding for implementation in School Year (SY) 2007-08. The recommendation is based on increasing public expectations for educational accountability and the need for equitable distribution of resources to schools. The WSF includes a system of weighted characteristics affecting the relative cost of educating each student attending a public school.

The Committee reviewed the Evaluation of Hawaii's Weighted Student Formula (WSF) and concurred with its conclusion that further investigation is needed to assess the sufficiency of available funding and whether the distribution of resources accurately reflects student needs. The committee discussed the unique needs of small, rural, combination, and isolated schools, the differentiated cost of providing equal opportunity for all students, and the assignment of central and school discretion over programs. The committee also discussed the WSF Reserve, base funding, average daily attendance (ADA), Common Core, ESEA Flex & Strive HI, school site capacity to support implementation of the WSF, legislative understanding and support of the WSF, actual versus average salary, gifted and talented, special education (SPED) allocation, enrollment data integrity, and clarification of policy.