RES 316 Draft 01 2006-2008 - Laserfiche WebLink

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..,,11~,.r a. a~ COUNTY OF HAWAII STATE OF HAWAII Tf~q' ~M~'~* RESOLUTION NO. 336 0'7 A RESOLUTION URGING THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR TO ALLOW VOTERS STATEWIDE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DECIDE ON THE FORMATION OF LOCALLY-ELECTED BOARDS OF EDUCATION. WHEREAS, King Kamehameha III created the school governance system in Hawaii in 1840; and WHEREAS, Hawaii is the only state in the nation that has a statewide board of education; and WHEREAS, the board of education has the power to set policy and exercise control over the State's entire public school system and public library system; and WHEREAS, the board of education consists of 14 members, including seven members who are elected according to geographic regions, six who are elected at-lazge, and one non- voting student member; and WHEREAS, the board of education oversees 176,954 students in the state, as well as thousands of faculty and staff in the schools and libraries; and WHEREAS, one board member has represented Hawaii County since 1996; and WHEREAS, Hawaii County's sole board member represents 25,996 public, charter, and Hawaiian immersion school students, as well as thousands of faculty and staff in the schools and libraries; and WHEREAS, alocally-elected board of education would allow for more substantial public input; and WHEREAS, the opportunity for increased public input would create a level of accountability that would ensure all stakeholders are represented fully and accurately; and WHEREAS, it is in the best interest of Hawai`i's school children, faculty, and staff that voters in the state determine iflocally-elected boards of education, to govern over their respective counties or districts within each of the counties, would be the optimal method to ensure our public schools operate at their highest potential; and WHEREAS, should each county or each district within each of the counties have their own locally-elected boards of education, they could pass along concerns, suggestions and input