STATE OF HAWAII
BOARD OF EDUCATION
COMMISSION OUTCOMES COMMITTEE MEETING

MINUTES

Queen Liliuokalani Building
1390 Miller Street, Room 404
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
Thursday, October 6, 2022

PRESENT:
Lynn Fallin, Chairperson
Kaimana Barcarse, Vice Chairperson
Lauren Moriarty
Kili Namauʻu

EXCUSED:
Bruce Voss

ALSO PRESENT:
Board Member Makana McClellan
Cathy Ikeda, Chairperson, State Public Charter School Commission
Alison Kunishige, Executive Director
Kenyon Tam, Board Analyst
Regina Pascua, Executive Secretary
Lady Garrett, Secretary


I. Call to Order

Committee Chairperson Lynn Fallin called the Commission Outcomes Committee (“Committee”) meeting to order at 12:01 p.m. Committee Chairperson Fallin, Committee Vice Chairperson Kaimana Barcarse, and Committee Members Lauren Moriarty and Kili Namauʻu were present.


II. Discussion Items

Committee Chairperson Fallin called for public testimony. No one testified at this time.

Committee members received written testimony before the meeting. (A listing of the people who submitted written testimony before the meeting is included at the end of these minutes.)


Committee Chairperson Fallin stated that the intent of the first meeting of the Committee is to come to a mutual understanding of Board of Education’s (“Board”) expectations of the Committee and the Commission including setting a clear path forward to meet those expectations. She explained that the purpose of the discussion is to (1) give Committee members an opportunity to review, discuss, and ask questions about the work plan provided by Cathy Ikeda, Chairperson, Commission; (2) come to a consensus on the elements that any continuous improvement plan provided by the Commission must contain; and (3) understand the Committee and Commission’s next steps.

Committee Chairperson Fallin stated that the work plan gives the Committee information on which findings in the performance evaluation report the Commission will develop continuous improvement plans for and when it will develop such plans. She invited Ikeda to provide highlights.

The meeting recessed at 12:08 p.m. and reconvened at 12:13 p.m.

Ikeda outlined that the Commission work plan includes a projected timeline by month. She stated that section A is scheduled for October 2022 followed by section B in November, section C in December, and sections D and E in February 2023.

Ikeda explained that regarding the optional other opportunities for improvement, the Commission at its next meeting will consider a request to form a permitted interaction group to look at identifying other areas and explanations for the continuous improvement plans to be completed. She explained that she is here to listen to feedback from the Committee and gather additional information on expectations.

Committee Chairperson Fallin expressed appreciation for all the work and effort by the Commission. She stated that there are a total of 86 findings in total in the work plan of which 55 are listed as optional other opportunities for improvement. She noted that if the Commission is not moving forward with the optional items in the work plan, then an explanation will be required.

Ikeda asked for clarification if continuous improvement plans are required for all mandatory and optional items. Committee Chairperson Fallin replied that continuous improvement plans are required for all 31 mandatory items, but if the Commission chooses not to proceed on any of the optional items, it must provide an explanation as to why while the remaining items will require continuous improvement plans.

Committee Chairperson Fallin asked if the Commission had an opportunity to review the work plan that Ikeda submitted to the Committee. Ikeda confirmed that the Commission has reviewed the work plan.

Committee Chairperson Fallin asked if the Commission viewed the work plan at a formal meeting. Ikeda replied that the Commission did not review the work plan at a formal meeting, but she will share the information at an upcoming meeting, including a request for the approval of a permitted interaction group. Ikeda stated that the Commission has seen the report listing the 31 mandatory and 55 optional findings and noted that there are two new Commission members.

Committee Chairperson Fallin emphasized that it is important that the Commission have an opportunity at a public meeting to review the work plan. She expressed hope that the Commission will review the current work plan so that there is alignment of expectations.

Committee Member Moriarty expressed support and noted that this work is important for families who decide to send their children to charter schools. She stated that she is pleased that the Commission anticipates completion by the end of this year for certain items in the work plan but noted that it is difficult to see the Commission completing items by December if the Commission needs to review the continuous improvement plans before presenting them to the Committee. Committee Member Moriarty suggested that the work plan include realistic dates for completion because the Commission should address the mandatory items as quickly as possible. She also noted that since the results of the report have been known for a long time, the Commission would have already been working on continuous improvement plans.

Committee Member Moriarty encouraged the Commission to be ambitious and realistic with the work plan timeline. Ikeda replied that the instructions to the Commission asked that projected dates be provided for the development of continuous improvement plans to address deficiencies, which does not mean that the Commission will complete implementation of the continuous improvement plans by the specific dates. She stated that the dates are reflective of what has been worked on and will continue to be worked on moving forward.

Committee Chairperson Fallin clarified that there are two terms, “work plan” and “continuous improvement plans.” She explained that the Committee viewed what Ikeda submitted as the Commission’s work plan, and the Committee is suggesting that going forward, the Commission should review the work plan and continuous improvement plans before coming to the Committee.

Committee Chairperson Fallin expressed appreciation for the ambitious timeline in place for the development of the continuous improvement plans. She stated that the Committee asked that the Commission present the work plan during the Committee’s next meeting in February.

Committee Chairperson Fallin stated that the Board will not get into the governance of the Commission but will require continuous improvement plans so that flexibility is built in and there is clarity on expectations. She noted that the effectiveness of the continuous improvement plans will be included in the Commission’s annual report.

Committee Chairperson Fallin suggested that the Committee come to a consensus on the elements that any continuous improvement plan should contain as referenced on page 4 of her memorandum, which suggests any continuous improvement plan should contain:
Committee Member Moriarty expressed support of the suggested list and asked if anything concerned the Commission. Ikeda replied that the standards of success seems like a rubric, and she would like clarification for items 2 and 3 as to whether the expectation is that the Commission do a rubric then present to the Committee prior to assessing effectiveness.

Committee Chairperson Fallin stated that the process is for the Commission to come into alignment around what the expectations are and reiterated that the continuous improvement plans should incorporate the elements stated in the memorandum.

Ikeda provided an example of the findings for the authorizer vision and mission, which the performance evaluation based on an older version. She explained that the Commission has been working to develop a new strategic plan and reviewed the vision and mission to include stakeholder buy in. She asked if the Committee is looking at the standard of success as the process used by the Commission to create the vision and mission and not necessarily the end product.

Committee Chairperson Fallin stated that an example that will reflect a successful process is the adoption of a vision and mission.

Ikeda stated that during contract discussions with schools many items that could be not accepted by the Commission related to legal misunderstandings. She noted that another example is where it lists bilateral in the contract it refers to two parties being involved and does not mean it is a collaborative effort.

Committee Chairperson Fallin stated that it is important to describe the process in the continuous improvement plans based on feedback received from the report.

Ikeda expressed support for item five and the possibilities for additional resources that may be needed in order to implement the continuous improvement plans.

Committee Member Moriarty expressed appreciation for the conversation and progress since the Commission is engaging with understanding. She expressed encouragement by the questions being raised by the Commission.

Ikeda expressed appreciation for the opportunity to come forward to the Board even under the circumstances. She stated that this is a good time to reacquaint the Board with what the Commission does, and she looks forward to reporting back in February.

Committee Chairperson Fallin stated that her expectations for next steps for the Commission are (1) Ikeda presents her work plan to the full Commission for review and approval, and once approved, she presents an update to the Committee; (2) the Commission continues developing and preparing continuous improvement plans for presentation to the Committee, including any continuous improvement plans that have already been fully executed; and (3) the Commission’s board reviews and approves any continuous improvement plans before presenting them to the Committee. She explained the next steps for the Committee and noted that the Committee will review the Commission-approved work plan and continuous improvement plans for findings from several performance measures at the Committee’s next meeting. She noted that the Committee would not make a recommendation to the Board until it determines that the Commission has developed and provided all of the required continuous improvement plans.


III. Adjournment

Committee Chairperson Fallin adjourned the meeting at 12:47 p.m.

List of the people who submitted written testimony before the meeting.

Name
Organization
Agenda Item
John ThatcherHawaii Public Charter Schools Network, Secretary II.A. Presentation on Commission work plan and scope of review for continuous improvement plans to address findings in 2022 Board of Education performance evaluation of the Commission