“I urge Governor Lingle to redirect her energy toward negotiating a plan to return students to school instead of spending her time attempting to shift blame for the furloughs she created,” Toguchi said. “I’m disturbed that Governor Lingle seems more concerned with distorting the facts and distancing herself from her furloughs than with giving back to students the education they deserve.”

• In May 2009 the Board, after approving $80 million in budget reductions for the fiscal biennium, facing an $86 million cut by the legislature and anticipating additional state revenue declines, urged the Governor and the Legislature to prioritize education and avoid further cuts to schools by utilizing other sources of funding such as the $60 million Rainy Day fund and the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund, which has some $180 million and has outlived its purpose.


• Board Chair Toguchi also publicly suggested that the Legislature could enact a slight, temporary raise in the general excise tax to preserve school funds until the economy improves. Economists have said that a combined approach—one that consists of fewer furloughs and small tax increases—is the best way to minimize the impact on families, maintain critical government services like education, and ensure a quicker economic recovery occurs.


• Governor Lingle, however, imposed a roughly 14 percent restriction on all state departments, including the Education Department. Her action made it clear that public education was not a priority over other government service. The Governor restricted the Education Department’s budget by $270.3 million, an amount equivalent to three furloughs a month for two years, and she urged Board and Department of Education negotiators to institute furloughs and shut down schools so savings could be achieved without layoffs.


• Instead of furloughing students three days a month, the Board passed a budget that reduced funds across the board for the entire Education Department, including part time positions and supplies, closed a school, and kept positions vacant. Due to the size of the budget cut, the Board, the Education Department and the Hawaii State Teachers Association negotiated a contract that included 17 furlough days per year, cutting by nearly half the number of furloughs the Governor originally proposed. Governor Lingle thoroughly reviewed and approved the agreement and, when the contract was ratified, praised the Board, the Education Department and HSTA for demonstrating “leadership in dealing with the current financial crisis.”


• Later, in response to public outcry over her furloughs, the Governor agreed with the Board’s call to tap $50 million from the Rainy Day fund to minimize cuts to education. However, the Governor has adopted an all-or-nothing approach in offering a plan that would require the Department to find $20 million it doesn’t have. Additionally, the HSTA has already rejected the Governor’s proposal.


• The Governor has also rejected a tentative agreement reached by the Board, the Education Department and the HSTA that would use $35 million from the Rainy Day fund to eliminate furlough Fridays. The plan would have restored five furlough days this school year, converted two teacher planning days into instructional days, and ended the school year three days earlier to minimize disruptions to students and parents. The Board, the Department and HSTA have agreed to rearrange the 17 furloughs in the next school calendar and avoid furlough Fridays to preserve the quality and continuity of instruction. The agreement also would have increased Hawaii’s chances of winning some $75 million in federal Race to the Top grants since one key criteria of the program requires states to make education funding a priority.

Toguchi also expressed disappointment that Governor Lingle has not personally participated in negotiations to address the furloughs. Instead, the Governor has relied on staff members who have at times said they cannot speak for the Governor.

Currently, the Board is waiting for the Governor to answer a letter with a number of concerns that Board members have about her furlough plan. The letter was hand-delivered on Jan. 22 after negotiators from the Administration indicated they were not in a position to answer some of the Board’s concerns on the Governor’s behalf.

“Instead of answering the letter, the Governor chose to blame the Board and Education Department for stonewalling her plan,” Toguchi said. “The Governor may make an informal proposal directly to HSTA if she so chooses, but it would be irresponsible for the Board to formally offer to HSTA a plan that puts quantity of school days ahead of educational quality while jeopardizing the health and safety of our students.”

“The Board remains committed to reducing school furloughs, but we cannot achieve this goal alone,” Toguchi continued. “I invite Governor Lingle to meet with the Board on Thursday, Feb, 4, during our General Business meeting, on Friday, or any day that she is available. Our students can wait no longer.”