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The silver lining of Furlough Fridays is that they brought education to the forefront for many Hawaii voters this election season. They will elect a new governor this November at a time when the state’s education system could be undergoing one of its most serious overhauls in decades. A number of public figures have already weighed in with their thoughts on the ailments they see in Hawaii’s education system, including three former Democratic governors who propose more classroom time for students, giving principals more authority and replacing the elected board with one appointed by the governor.

Civil Beat asked each of the gubernatorial candidates what they see as the biggest issues in Hawaii education today and how they would address them. The theme their answers all share is a need for greater accountability. Two candidates focus on the need for accountability at the school level, and one (James “Duke” Aiona) focuses on the need for accountability at the central office level.

Democratic candidate Neil Abercrombie said there’s a lack of leadership and responsibility in the current system. He would restructure the department’s organization by first making the superintendent a cabinet-level position. He also proposes giving principals more authority and creating comprehensive accountability measures at all levels.

Republican candidate James “Duke” Aiona focused on fiscal concerns and said he would make it a priority to ensure the state is investing its education dollars into worthwhile projects at the school level. He would start with a comprehensive independent audit of the Hawaii Department of Education and let the results guide his education policy recommendations.

Democratic candidate Mufi Hannemann said the current system neglects students and their needs. To address the problem, he, like Abercrombie, proposes measures that would hold principals and teachers accountable. He also proposes better collaboration with private schools on curriculum and a database that tracks student progress.

What follows are the candidates’ verbatim responses to Civil Beat (in alphabetical order):

Neil Abercrombie

The biggest single issue in education today is a lack of leadership with no one taking responsibility. The biggest example of that problem is Furlough Fridays, where all sides were blaming each other while defending their own positions. The consequence is that our students lost 17 instructional days that they can never get back.

As Governor, my education initiatives include:

• Incorporating Superintendent of Schools into the Governor’s Cabinet to coordinate reorganization of the school system
• Moving authority to schools with principals in charge of budget and staff
• Creating leadership academies to help principals become CEOs of their schools
• Supporting and placing emphasis on teachers in the classroom
• Creating rigorous and comprehensive accountability measures
• Maximizing federal resources to modernize standards and systems
• Creating private-public partners to invest in schools

James “Duke” Aiona

Improving our schools isn’t just about spending more money. It’s about making sure we’re getting the most out of every dollar we invest. It’s my responsibility as a parent, and it will be my priority as Governor.
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The Hawaii Department of Education, which consumes over 40 percent of the State’s budget, has not been independently examined since 1973.
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An independent audit is the only way to conduct a comprehensive review of our public education system free from outside influence, including that of the legislature, governor and special interests. The findings would verify whether taxpayer dollars are being spent effectively and efficiently and provide recommendations for improvements.
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With these results, I will have the information to direct the most effective restructuring of our public education system in a generation. With a fully engaged public, we will accomplish this major undertaking.

Mufi Hannemann

The biggest single issue is that our community’s focus should be on the students and not on the adults. The board, the administration, the Hawaii State Legislature, and unions should keep this in clear focus and engage in a more collaborative and collegial communication process. The Hawaii Department of Education, Hawaii State Board of Education and school-level personnel must show flexibility and a willingness to cooperate. ÌýÌý

There is also a measurement problem with respect to student achievement. I would implement a longitudinal data collection system to track student progress, individually and collectively, over time. The current system of testing and reporting only captures a snapshot of the system as a whole. But we need to track individual children throughout their years in our schools. We need to know which teachers are demonstrating consistently good results, which principals are demonstrating school-wide achievement, what’s working, and what isn’t. A longitudinal data collection system will provide for better analysis, greater accountability and improved decision-making. Ìý

If Hawaii is awarded funds, this money can provide the funding for this database. The Race to the Top application also provides a strategic plan for public education, with the clear focus on the children, not the status quo or crisis and band-aid quick fixes. Good measurement is the first step to greater accountability. Ìý

Research has shown a correlation exists between exercise and intelligence. I would work with the board, department, and the teachers and principals to increase the amount of physical activity that students receive at school. Ìý

I would encourage more collaboration with the private schools on curriculum and other topics. And I would examine the impact of all unfunded mandates that are created without much input and discussion from school level personnel and the community.