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Ige picks volunteers for group drafting public schools ‘blueprint’

CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARADAVERTISER.COM

Governor David Ige held a press conference on dengue fever at the State Capitol on Wednesday.

Gov. David Ige has named volunteers to serve on an advisory group he’s charged with developing a “blueprint” for Hawaii public schools that is consistent with a new federal law that gives states more authority over public education.

The federal legislation — called the Every Student Succeeds Act, or ESSA — replaces No Child Left Behind and significantly shifts the balance of control over education policy away from the federal government and back to states. It covers topics including school accountability, teacher evaluations, student testing and support for struggling schools, and is scheduled to be fully implemented in the 2017-18 school year.

Ige has said his so-called “ESSA team” will ultimately be responsible for assessing the current public school system and identifying areas of need.

The governor announced earlier this month that retired principal Darrel Galera, who now heads the Education Institute of Hawaii think tank, would chair the advisory group.

The other members, announced this afternoon, include educators, community members, lawmakers and business executives. The governor’s office said members were selected by Ige based on recommendations and applications.

“Our goal,” Ige said in a statement, “was to get a good cross-section of stakeholders with diverse backgrounds and experiences. The work of the ESSA team will be an inclusive process that will involve town meetings and a summit to allow all to participate.”

The group held its first meeting today, but it was not open to the public. The governor’s office said in a news release that meeting minutes will be distributed to the Legislature, DOE and Board of Education, and will be posted online at governor.hawaii.gov.

The members are:

  • Philip Bossert, Director of Strategic & International Program, Hawaii Association of Independent Schools
  • Catherine Caine, teacher, Waikiki Elementary
  • Kamanaopono Crabbe, CEO, Office of Hawaiian Affairs
  • Darrel Galera, executive director, Education Institute of Hawaii
  • Keith Hayashi, principal, Waipahu High
  • Sen. Michelle Kidani, chairwoman of the Senate Education Committee
  • Brennan Lee, Board of Education student member
  • Ann Mahi, Department of Education complex area superintendent, Waianae/Nanakuli
  • Hubert Minn, retired teacher, Board of Education member
  • Lauren Moriguchi, executive director, state Office of Early Learning
  • Steve Nakasato, principal, Pearl Ridge Elementary
  • Alan Oshima, president/CEO, Hawaiian Electric Co.
  • Catherine Payne, chairwoman, state Public Charter Schools Commission
  • Amy Perruso, teacher, Mililani High
  • Stacey Roberts, professor, chair of the Educational Administration Program at the University of Hawaii
  • Carol Shikada, DOE educational specialist
  • Linda Takayama, director, state Department of Labor & Industrial Relations
  • Stephen Terstegge, parent, Castle High School
  • Rep. Takashi Ohno, vice chairman of the House Education Committee

9 responses to “Ige picks volunteers for group drafting public schools ‘blueprint’”

  1. rcunitz says:

    Out of nineteen members, only ONE is identified as being a parent of a public school student?!?

  2. iwanaknow says:

    Put Frank Delima in……..

  3. magicman1433 says:

    The next flavor of the month…

  4. roxie says:

    How about representation from the Community Colleges Vocational Programs??? ….. this Advisory Group group should’ve be chosen from a diverse section from the community. We are dealing with “Public Education” which is a group ranging from Special needs thru Gifted and Talented. Those already chosen should keep in mind that they are not making a recipe for a private school student. The recipe MUST address all stake holders from low level to GT.

  5. wiliki says:

    I don’t see the director of a pre-school in the lineup. Bad news.

  6. lespark says:

    We don’t need consensus, we need leadership.

  7. lespark says:

    Same hapless people.

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