KS Supports New Concept for Conversion Schools

March 22, 2002

Contributed by CEO Message

There are three key points that summarize our involvement in conversion schools:

1) Kamehameha Schools is only interested in adding value to Department of Education schools.

2) The governance structure for conversion schools is community based. There is no intention that KS will "take over" or control DOE schools. Through this structure, communities become responsible for shaping their own school agenda.

3) Our key purpose in participating in conversion schools is to extend the reach of Kamehameha Schools to serve more Hawaiian children, and in so doing improve on the education of all children in Hawaii.
This is an exciting, new concept for Kamehameha Schools, and I look forward to sharing more about it with you as remaining issues are addressed. In the meantime, here is more detailed information about the conversion school concept and how it relates to Kamehameha Schools.

Q & A ON NEW CENTURY CHARTER CONVERSION SCHOOLS
March 2002

Q: How will Kamehameha Schools participate in this concept of a non-profit conversion school?
A: KS would provide funding and consulting services to support a new nonprofit organization which will be established to manage and operate conversion charter schools in collaboration with KS, the DOE, the community and other private donors. Potential DOE schools will be selected based on several factors including high percentages of Hawaiian students enrolled; high levels of at-risk indicators such as absentee rates, public assistance, test scores, and in areas currently underserved by KS. Each respective community would make the ultimate decision regarding its participation. The legislative bills introduced this session that would enable KS to proceed with this initiative are HB 2014 and SB 2662, the New Century Conversion Charter School statutes.

Q: Why does Kamehameha want to do this?
A: Currently, KS serves approximately 7% of all Hawaiian children through its preschool sites, three campuses, and extension education services. To extend Pauahi's legacy to the other 93%, KS wants to collaborate with other private donors and the public sector to provide educational opportunities to more Hawaiian youngsters.

Q: If KS is operating in a public school, won't this mean spending KS money on non-Hawaiians?
A: The school sites identified will be in areas with a substantial Hawaiian population. While some non-Hawaiians would also be enrolled in these conversion charter schools, KS would be able to reach far greater numbers of Hawaiian children more cost-effectively than if it continued to build new private school campuses. By investing KS dollars directly into classroom materials, equipment, teacher and staff training, rather than in building and construction costs, KS believes the greater good of enhancing the standards, quality and opportunities for entire communities to contribute to school excellence will have enduring and systemic benefit that ultimately benefits all Hawaiians. KS has committed to contribute to the nonprofit a minimum of $1 for every $4 of DOE operating funds, thereby leveraging KS contributions against the DOE's existing school budget, and opening the door for involvement of other foundations and charities.

Q: Who will run these schools?
A: A new separate and independent non-profit will be formed to manage and operate the conversion charter schools. A board of directors comprised of KS, community, school and other representatives will govern this entity. KS will have a minority of the seats on the board. Campus advisory panels for each conversion charter school, comprised of community, faculty and staff, student and parent representatives, will work directly with principals or heads of each conversion charter school and advise the non-profit on management and operation of the school.

Q: Why won't KS be in charge of this non-profit?
A: This initiative is a collaboration between KS, the state, communities, schools, and other private foundations and donors. KS is but one player among many.

Q: How will the schools be selected to be conversion charter schools?
A: Potential public schools will be identified based on several factors, including high percentages of Hawaiian students enrolled; high levels of at-risk indicators such as school absentee rates, families on public assistance and low test scores, and areas that are currently underserved by KS. A majority of the specific campus community must also approve participation in this collaboration.

Q: When will the first conversion school open, and has a site been picked yet?
A: No sites have been selected yet; final selection will be made by the non-profit through a collaborative effort with the DOE, schools and communities. We anticipate that if appropriate enabling legislation is passed in the 2002 session and KS can obtain approval from various state and federal governmental agencies to enter into such a collaborative arrangement, the non-profit may open the first conversion charter school in August 2003.

Q: How much money has KS committed to this project, and is funding for other projects being cut to do this?
A. No funding for other KS projects are "being cut" in order for KS to enter into this collaborative effort. KS has targeted, through its Strategic Implementation Plan Phase II process, approximately $5 million over the next five years toward this collaborative effort.

Q: Does this effort mean that Kamehameha Schools has turned its focus away from operating private schools?
A. No. KS will not operate and manage the conversion charter schools; the new non-profit will do so. KS will continue to focus on operating and improving its own private preschools and K-12 programs throughout the state.

Q: The Hawaii Association of Independent Schools and principals of four private schools testified in favor of the legislation that will allow Kamehameha Schools to do this. Why do they support the concept?
A. KS believes that the principals from the four private schools appeared at the legislative hearing in support of the new century conversion charter school legislation because they, like KS, recognize and are excited by the synergy that a collaborative effort between private schools, public schools, the state and communities can bring to bear on improving the education for all Hawaii's children.

Q: Apparently, the HSTA and the HGEA are not in favor of this project. Can you explain why?
A. The HSTA and HGEA public employee unions have testified against the new century conversion charter school legislation based upon their perception that the legislation is another "privatization" effort that may ultimately threaten their members' jobs. KS has had several meetings with representatives from these unions in an effort to explain KS' vision of this collaborative effort and to quell the unions' concerns about threats to union jobs. While KS is hopeful that the HSTA and HGEA will eventually support the collaborative initiative, our efforts have not met with success to date.

Q: Will graduates from these conversion schools be considered Kamehameha graduates?
A. Graduates from conversion charter schools will be graduates of that particular public school, not Kamehameha graduates. Again, the non-profit is managing or operating the conversion charter schools, not KS.

Q: Kamehameha Schools has not previously served special needs students. Do you expect to serve those students in the conversion schools? If so, how will KS best approach this challenge given its lack of experience with these needs?
A. Under current laws, public schools, including conversion charter schools, must serve special needs students. At this time, the DOE has retained the legal obligation of ensuring that special needs students are appropriately educated. KS anticipates that the sites selected for conversion charters by the new non-profit will likewise include a population of special needs students. KS anticipates that the DOE will continue to retain the legal obligation of educating special needs students. KS also anticipates that the new non-profit will seek consulting services in this area, if deemed necessary by the Board of the new non-profit.

Q: Will the current teachers in the schools that are converted be retained? Are there any changes planned for the employment, professional training and discipline processes now in effect? What about the bargaining unit provisions?
A. The current laws provide that a charter school, including a conversion charter school, must adhere to the state law governing collective bargaining. Therefore, the new non-profit will have a legal obligation to bargain with the school's unions over terms and conditions of employment which may remain the same or may amend some terms in the existing master contracts. Teachers in schools that approve conversion will have the opportunity to elect whether to remain at the school, seek transfer to another DOE site through the regular DOE transfer process, or seek other employment elsewhere.

Hamilton I. McCubbin
Chief Executive Officer