STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT COMMITTEE MEMBERS EXCUSED:
Shanty Asher
Kenneth Uemura

FINANCE AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT:
Bruce Voss, Chairperson
Lynn Fallin, Vice Chairperson
Bill Arakaki
Kili Namauʻu
Catherine Payne

FINANCE AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE MEMBERS EXCUSED:
None

ALSO PRESENT:
Kyla Musso, Student Representative
Keith Hayashi, Interim Superintendent, Department of Education
Alison Kunishige, Executive Director
Kenyon Tam, Board Analyst
Regina Pascua, Executive Secretary
Lady Garrett, Secretary

1. Call to Order

II. Recommendation for Action

1. Student Achievement Committee and Finance and Infrastructure Committee Action on recommendations concerning Board guidance on the Department’s use of federal funds in the second round of the Education Stabilization Fund’s Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (“ESSER II”) and in the third round of ESSER funds authorized under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (“ESSER ARP”)

David Miyashiro, HawaiiKidsCAN, testified that recent data shows that student learning has suffered, the Department needs to maximize the impact of ESSER II and ESSER ARP (collectively “ESSER Funds”), and that the Department of Education’s (“Department”) educational plan is an opportunity to articulate a short and long-term vision for Hawaii’s public education system because the Department has been operating without a strategic plan since 2020.

Cheri Nakamura, HEʻE Coalition, testified in support of the ESSER fund guidance, highlighted the importance of social emotional learning (“SEL”) and SEL assessment because children need physical, emotional, and intellectual safety to learn, and asked that the Department consider using statistically sound SEL screeners to measure and assess SEL.

SAC Member Lyla Berg joined the meeting at 11:06 a.m.

SAC Chairperson Namauʻu stated that the intent of the proposed guidance is to focus the Board of Education (“Board”) on making the Department’s educational plan for its use of “ESSER Funds” the centerpiece of discussion and making the fiscal plan secondary and supportive of the educational plan. She stated that the Board can do this by providing the Department with clear guidance on the Board’s expectations for the Department’s use of ESSER Funds and creating a three-part framework made up of an educational plan, supporting fiscal plan, and detailed expenditure reporting. She explained that this three-part framework places education at the center, provides the Department with flexibility by allowing it to create a categorical fiscal plan, and ensures accountability by requiring the Department to provide detailed expenditure reporting.

SAC Chairperson Namauʻu stated that the Board should provide the Department with guidance on its expectations regarding the Department’s educational plan for ESSER Funds, particularly in the areas of timing, equitable distribution, health and safety, accelerated learning, social-emotional learning, metrics, and coordination with charter schools. She explained that the three-part framework allows the Department the flexibility to allocate funds by categories for the fiscal plan (with the exception of budget shortfalls) because the fiscal plan is tied to a detailed educational plan. She noted that under this framework, the Board would need to approve both the educational plan and categorical fiscal plan before the Department can expend ESSER Funds. She noted that the proposed guidance also directs the Department regarding its calculation of charter schools’ pro rata share of ESSER Funds and the lapse date of any federal funds transferred to charter schools. She explained that the proposed guidance further directs the Department to provide detailed periodic expenditure reports, as the third part of the three-part framework.

SAC Vice Chairperson Bill Arakaki moved to approve the proposed ESSER II and ESSER ARP Fund Guidance as outlined in SAC Chairperson Namau‘u’s memorandum dated October 21, 2021. SAC Member Kaimana Barcarse seconded.

FIC Vice Chairperson Lynn Fallin moved to approve the proposed ESSER II and ESSER ARP Fund Guidance as outlined in SAC Chairperson Namau‘u’s memorandum dated October 21, 2021. FIC Member Arakaki seconded.

FIC Vice Chairperson and SAC Member Lynn Fallin expressed support for the proposed ESSER fund guidance and noted that she is generally supportive of looking at systems and ensuring these systems focus on education and students. She stated that the proposed approach will provide the Department with flexibility and the autonomy it needs to make decisions about educational programming that will ensure student learning and maximize achievement. FIC Vice Chairperson and SAC Member Fallin further stated that the proposed approach focuses on outcomes, which exemplifies the Board’s policy setting role. She stated that the outcomes should answer two questions, “how are students doing?” and “what impact are we making on students and if we are not impacting students, then what is missing?”

FIC Vice Chairperson and SAC Member Fallin referenced section 2.f. of the proposed guidance that directs the Department to identify metrics that can be used to timely measure the effectiveness of the funds spent on health and safety and supplemental educational supports and programs and to regularly report disaggregated data to the Board. She asked what kinds of data the proposed guidance referred to, the frequency of the reporting, and whether this reporting would become a regular part of committee meetings. FIC Vice Chairperson and SAC Member Fallin stated that she would like to balance the broad autonomy the Board is granting the Department with clear accountability given the different roles of the Board and Department and asked whether the Board should consider clarifying this metrics requirement.

SAC Chairperson and FIC Member Namau‘u explained that because the Department has a better idea of the data it collects, the proposed guidance directs the Department to identify metrics. She stated that the Board needs to understand whether the programs the Department is using are working for students and that the metrics should show this. SAC Chairperson and FIC Member Namau‘u explained that the proposed guidance leaves it up to the Department to figure out how it will collect the data necessary to show what is working and what is not working.

FIC Vice Chairperson and SAC Member Fallin noted that the value of the data is not in the volume, but how the Department uses it in a systematic way that leads to decisions that the Board can support. She noted that part of the Board’s role is helping everyone, including funders, say “yes” and she would like to work on getting the Board to this point.

SAC Member Barcarse stated that the proposed guidance is timely and much needed because it gives the Department the flexibility it needs to accomplish its tasks. He noted that the proposed guidance provides balance between giving the Department the space necessary to create a robust and detailed educational plan while still ensuring there are mechanisms for accountability. SAC Member Barcarse emphasized the importance of equitable distribution because equitable is not equal and the data will show areas where the Department and Board are failing students and highlight which students need more resources. He noted that equitable distribution also relates to funding for charter schools and that the proposed guidance is a positive step forward.

FIC and SAC Member Catherine Payne concurred that the guidance is reflective of a lot of work and asked how the Department’s coordination with charter schools, as described in Section 2.g., will work. She stated that the Board needs to be careful about how it communicates this so that it respects charter schools autonomy. FIC and SAC Member Payne asked if this provision was developed with input from the State Public Charter School Commission (“Commission”).

SAC Chairperson and FIC Member Namau‘u responded to concerns about the timing of the allocation of funds in Section 3.b. FIC and SAC Member Payne stated that the Board should consider amending this language to reflect this timeliness concern. SAC Chairperson and FIC Member Namau‘u asked for clarification about whether FIC and SAC Member Payne was referring to Section 2.g. (coordination) or Section 3.b. (set aside and funding source). FIC and SAC Member Payne clarified that she was referencing Section 2.g. SAC Chairperson and FIC Member Namau‘u clarified that she was referencing Section 3.b. and that language relating to timeliness was already included in that section.

FIC and SAC Member Payne cautioned that given her prior experience with charter schools, there is sensitivity when directing the Department to coordinate with the Commission on specific matters since this is not necessarily welcomed. SAC Chairperson Namau‘u expressed understanding of the sensitivity of this issue and asked if the Board needed to amend the language of the proposed guidance to provide clarification. FIC and SAC Member Payne stated that she expressed her concerns and that was sufficient.

SAC Vice Chairperson and FIC Member Arakaki asked the Department if there was enough time for it to review the proposed guidance for potential issues. He stated that the Department should identify any potential conflicts before the Board moves forward.

FIC Chairperson Voss stated that the proposed guidance ensures that student needs drive the Department’s educational plan for ESSER Funds and that a fiscal plan supports this educational plan. He clarified that once the Board approves an educational and fiscal plan for ESSER Funds, the Department will have the flexibility to move forward with programs that are consistent with the approved plan, provided that it provides comprehensive reporting on expenditures and metrics that measure the effectiveness of the funds used for health and safety and accelerated learning.

FIC Chairperson Voss stated that the details of this regular reporting does not need to be included in the proposed guidance, but that he wanted to provide an example of when regular reporting was appropriate and helpful. He stated that about five years ago, the Board became aware of a number of employees who the Department had placed on leave for extended periods. FIC Chairperson Voss explained that, as a result, the Human Resources Committee asked that the Department submit quarterly reports on Department Directed Leave to monitor the issue and Department efforts to resolve the issue. He stated that it will be appropriate to request that the Department provide quarterly reports following the approval of the Department’s educational and fiscal plans for the use of ESSER Funds. FIC Chairperson Voss also followed up on comments relating to Department input on the proposed guidance and asked Keith Hayashi, Interim Superintendent if there is anything problematic in the proposed guidance, and, if not, how the Department will proceed to put together an educational and fiscal plan consistent with the proposed guidance.

Hayashi replied that it is evident that the Board and Department want the same thing, which is better outcomes for our students, families, and communities. He expressed appreciation for the importance of aligning the Department’s educational and fiscal plans, and noted that there are multiple ways to approach this. He stated that the Department is looking closely at student and school data and will use this information to leverage school voice to create plans and balance school level needs with overall system needs. Hayashi stated that the Department looks forward to working collaboratively to best serve students and their needs with flexibility to meet day-to-day challenges.

FIC Chairperson Voss expressed appreciation for Hayashi’s comments and acknowledged that the Department will need to do a lot of work to solicit input. He also expressed appreciation for advocacy organizations who consistently provide feedback, but stated that he would like to hear more parent voices as the Department develops the educational plan, which will ultimately be approved by the Board.

FIC Chairperson Voss asked what the Department will do to ensure parent voice is considered as it develops strategic objectives to accelerate learning for students who were disproportionately impacted and need the funding the most. Hayashi replied that he will revisit with his team on ways to engage specific groups of parents for their input to ensure that everyone is working collaboratively for student success.

FIC Chairperson Voss stated that, traditionally, the Department has used surveys to reach parents, but that the Department needs to make a concerted effort to gather responses from parents of disadvantaged student populations. He stated that this input will play a critical role in developing an educational plan that benefits students. Hayashi replied that one option is for the Department to engage with school community councils to get feedback from a variety of schools, especially the schools with large populations of disadvantaged students that need additional support.

SAC Chairperson Namau‘u stated that one of the reasons for the proposed guidance is because the former system of focusing on detailed expenditure plans did not put students at the center. She noted that it is important to collaborate with the many organizations who want to help students so that everyone is on the same page.

SAC Chairperson Namau‘u called for a roll call vote on the motion for SAC. The motion carried unanimously with all SAC members present voting aye (Committee Vice Chairperson Arakaki, Committee Members Barcarse, Fallin, and Payne).

FIC Chairperson Voss called for a roll call vote on the motion for FIC. The motion carried unanimously with all FIC members present voting aye (Committee Vice Chairperson Fallin, Committee Members Arakaki, Namau‘u, and Payne).

JOINT ACTION: Motion to approve the proposed ESSER II and ESSER ARP Fund Guidance as outlined in SAC Chairperson Namau‘u’s memorandum dated October 21, 2021 (SAC: Arakaki/Barcarse; FIC: Fallin/Arakaki). The motion carried unanimously with all members present voting aye.

III. Late Public Testimony on Board Agenda Items

SAC Chairperson Namauʻu called for public testimony from any individuals who did not have an opportunity to testify on earlier agenda items. No one provided oral testimony at this time.

SAC and FIC members received written testimony before the meeting. The following is a listing of the people who submitted written testimony before the meeting.

SAC Chairperson Namauʻu adjourned the meeting at 11:49 a.m.