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Honolulu Advertiser
Endorsement Questionnaire
Kim Coco Iwamoto
Board of Education, Oahu-At-Large
Phone: 808.342.0078
Email: info@kimcoco.com
1.
For generations we, as a community, have been talking about how to
improve the quality of public education. What are the impediments
and what would be the first thing you would do as a board member to fix?
As a community, we need to do more than talk about education. We
need to demonstrate our commitment through active participation in our
public schools. We need to facilitate partnerships between
schools and parents, families, alumni, community businesses and
organizations. This is one of the factors contributing to the
success of many private schools and public charter schools. I
have spoken to other parents who feel they have much more to offer
their schools, but their interest and offers go unnoticed. We need to
provide further funding to each school to ensure they have sufficient
support to cultivate and manage these community relationships and
invaluable resources.
2.
What adjustments would you make to the Weighted Student Formula?
Is there a better way to ensure that money is properly allocated among
all students?
Before Act 51 was passed into law, our public school system suffered
from insufficient funding. Act 51 did not solve this problem, it
only shifted the scarcity to a different community. Therefore,
the quest for a fair weighted student formula is a red herring.
Each proposed model has the divisive effect of pitting school against
school, program against program and student against student, for every
dollar. The BOE has a responsibility to make sure every student
has a quality education despite the students’ strengths and
challenges or which school they go to. The only way the BOE can
properly allocate money to the schools is by making sure the
legislature and governor provide sufficient funding every year.
3.
The No Child Left Behind Act is up for renewal next year. How do
you assess the law’s impact on Hawaii and should it be renewed?
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said that the purpose of education is to
teach one to think critically and to develop character and social
consciousness. NCLB forces our public schools to teach to
standardized test performance at the expense of intellectual
curiosity. There is no time for students to question
“why” because they must commit to memory the information
that will appear on the tests. NCLB stigmatizes many schools and
their students as “failures” because there is no mechanism
to measure other skill sets students are learning at school.
Therefore, NCLB has a negative impact on school pride and student
morale toward education. The most damaging impact of glorifying
standardized test performance is that it cultivates passive
“learning” instead of active critical thinking. There
is a correlation between the rise in importance of standardized testing
and the decline of the youth movement in America. The ultimate
impact on Hawai`i is that we are left with a society that does not
question or challenge the information it receives.
4.
What steps would you take to assure the best teachers are assigned to
the students who need them most, and what would you do to attract and
retain quality teachers?
We need to shift the supply and demand of teachers in Hawai`i, instead
of a shortage of quality teachers, we need a surplus. We need to
offer competitive compensation packages to increase the pool of
applicants so that we can select the best of the best. We should
provide scholarships and grants to Hawai`i students who want to become
teachers. We should pay for the continuing education of our
teachers so that they are revitalized and able to inspire more
students. We need to work with the HSTA in developing a peer
review process that allows for the removal of unmotivated teachers,
making room for quality teachers. Act 51 includes a section on
Personalized Education Plans for every student, maximizing educational
opportunities. This may have matched the best teacher with the
right student, however, there is insufficient funding to implement this
program.
5.
Why are you running for this position; what qualifies you to best
represent the interest of citizens on matter of public education?
I have spent most of my life in service to community; serving Hawai`i
as a member of the Board of Education would be a continuation of this
involvement in civic life. I am an advocate for youth and
committed to their empowerment, which includes access to quality
education. I first became involved with the BOE when a group of
high school students asked me to partner with them as they went before
the Board. I have attended the BOE meetings ever since, and I see
what changes and new perspectives needs to be represented on the Board.
Administrators, teachers, families and students say that more resources
are needed in our public school system. My experience as a
community organizer, activist, fundraiser, and lobbyist will be a
valuable asset in persuading the legislature and governor to provide
sufficient funding for infrastructure, competitive teacher
compensation, materials, and innovative programs that benefit our
students.
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