1. Patricia Hamamoto Superintendent January 31, 2007 Informational Briefing Department of Education Weighted Student Formula Copyright © 2007 Hawaii State Department of Education

2. 2 DOE supports equitable educational opportunity for all students Weighted Student Formula (WSF) is a way to allocate funds to schools based on student educational needs…. WSF does not address adequate funding

3. 3 Underlying Assumptions for Equity: 1.Schools with similar students should get a similar amount of funds. 2.Schools with students who have a harder time becoming proficient should get more funds to support their efforts.

4. In other words…. Education is the great equalizer… it supports social justice! It takes more resources to teach a child in a poor area than it takes to teach a child in an affluent area.

5. 5 Percent of Students with Special Needs 2006 Totals may not be exactly 100% due to rounding Over 50% of our students require more resources!

6. 6 SY2005-06 Data Indicates: Schools with higher % of economically disadvantaged students have lower % of proficient readers Schools with higher % of ESL students have lower % of proficient readers Schools with higher % of transient students have lower % of proficient readers Also true in national data

7. 7 Poverty is a strong predictive indicator for poor student performance

8. 8

9. 9 Other factors of inequity: Very small schools cost more per student K-2 class ratios Isolated schools (Hana, Molokai, Lanai, Kohala, Kau) Multi-track schools cost more in some operational areas

10. 10 Tale of Two Schools: Pre-WSF FernKalihi WaenaDiff. Enrollment555556+1 % “Poor”73.4%70.9%-2.5% % ESLL36.7%27.3%-9.4% $*/student$5,012$5,101+$89 Total $* $2,781,804$2,836,116+$54,312

11. 11 Weights for SY2006-07 Weighted CharacteristicWeight$ Value Economically Disadvantaged.100$428.84 ESL.189$808.78 K-2.150$643.26 Geographic Isolation.005$21.44 Multi-track.005$21.44 School LevelVaries by School Level Transiency.025$107.21 Small School Adjustmentper student under enrollment $400 Value of “1” = $4,288.40

12. 12 Tale of Two Schools: WSF FernKalihi Waena Enrollment$2,458,056$2,464,485 % Poor$174,379$168,743 % ESLL$164,423$122,529 % Trans.$9,858$39,027 K-2$142,544$152,175 Total WSF $$2,949,260$2,946,959

13. 13 Act 160/SLH2006, Section 47.1 $20M – Base Foundation - SY2006-07 –Elementary $63,300 –Middle $84,350 –High School $126,580 –Combination $147,680 $20M – Base Foundation - SY2007-08 –Not included in Executive Budget –Executive Budget includes $20 M in WSF for Equipment Replacement

14. 14 WSF is a tool that supports equity for educational opportunities!! Continue to support Weighted Student Formula Continue the $20 Million foundation Continue the $1 Million Supt fund Support isolated and unique schools ($ X Million) Remember…we’re only in the FIRST year of Weighted Student Formula implementation!

15. 15 Mahalo for all your support these past years!