Oahu Interscholastic Association undertakes groundbreaking move to separate from DOE
STAR-ADVERTISER / NOV. 2018
Mililani Trojan football player Dillon Gabriel leapt in for a touchdown against Campbell Saber football player JL Lavea at Aloha Stadium. Attorneys for the Oahu Interscholastic Association today filed articles of incorporation, the first step toward the potentially ground breaking process of eventually separating public high schools in four of the state’s leagues from the Department of Education.
Attorneys for the Oahu Interscholastic Association today filed articles of incorporation, the first step toward the potentially groundbreaking process of eventually separating oversight of public high school athletic teams in four of the state’s leagues from the Department of Education.
The OIA, which will enter its 80th season this fall, represents 30 public high schools on Oahu. Statewide, approximately 25,000 students in grades 9-12 from public and charter schools participate in high school athletics.
Lyle Hosoda, lead attorney for the OIA, said, “The goal is to strengthen consistency and clarity related to the governance of competitive high school athletics between the two entities (OIA and DOE). This promotes autonomy, flexibility and optimal opportunities politically and financially to enhance opportunities for Hawaii students.”
While the topic of separation has been under off and on discussion for decades, the action was apparently given a renewed push by several recent court cases that have called into question where the DOE responsibility begins and ends within various elements of a heavily intertwined DOE-OIA structure.
For example, OIA executive directors have traditionally had their salaries paid by the state while their duties have encompassed both entities.
A task force is reportedly working with the DOE on a comprehensive memorandum of understanding that would outline each party’s responsibilities in several areas including use of facilities, equipment, insurance, transportation and compliance with Title IX, now known as the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act.
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Approval of incorporation papers, which were filed by Catherine A. Taschner, would allow the OIA and, in subsequent filings, the Big Island Interscholastic Federation, Kauai Interscholastic Federation and Maui Interscholastic League, to achieve 501(c)(3) status under the Internal Revenue Code, making them exempt from federal income tax and qualifying them to receive tax deductible transfers.
Initially, the leagues are likely to seek a special appropriation of approximately $750,000 from the upcoming session of the Legislature to help underwrite the change-over, according to people briefed on the process.
