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The League of Women Voters of Hawaii
Survey Questions for BOE Candidates
Responses by Candidate KIM COCO IWAMOTO
1. Have you previously served on Hawaii’s Board of Education or on any other Board of Ed?
No. However, I actively attend the BOE full board and committee
meetings which are open to the public. I offer public testimony
and submit written testimony when it is needed.
2. What experience have you personally had in the field of Education?
I have been a guest speaker in high schools and colleges across the
country, including but not limited to: Yale, Brown, John Jay
School of Criminal Justice, UH Manoa, HPU, HCC, KCC, Mililani HS. I
have also educated DOE teachers at their annual conferences.
3. Do you have, or have you had, children in school in Hawaii? Public or private school? For how many years?
I have been a state licensed foster parent to three children during the
past three years. All my children have been enrolled in DOE
schools and programs.
4. How could you, as a member, contribute to the work of the Board of Education?
I have been a community organizer and civil rights activist for the
past 13 years. I have lobbied for the passage of bills that would
empower children, minorities, and families to reach their highest
potential. I am solution-focused; my advocacy, creativity, and lobbying
skill-sets will be assets to the BOE.
5.
As a BOE member, how many hours a month would you expect to spend on
Board of Education business, including BOE meetings, committee
meetings, reading reports, etc.
160 hours. Being an ACTIVE member is a full-time job. I
believe in collecting and comparing data, building partnerships with
community members, engaging in creative problem solving, and educating
other key players and board members. Strategizing and lobbying the
legislature and the governor will require a significant amount of time.
6. How do you feel the Board’s time should be distributed among the following three functions?
a. Considering and accepting or rejecting policy proposals brought to it by the Department of Education?
5%. DOE should minimize how
often it seeks BOE approval on internal matters because it distracts
the Board from looking at the larger picture.
b. Formulating policy proposals for the Department of Education?
10%. BOE needs to stop sweating the small stuff and resolve
the bigger issues. For instance, instead of deliberating policies
regarding teacher access to soda vending machines, the BOE should
address the 20% failure rate of Kalanai’s Freshman class.
c. Attempting to design or redesign the most effective restructured education system possible for the state?
Public Education needs a proactive strategic plan (and Committee) for
the next 5 years that does not look at mandates, but aspirations and
goals. The BOE and DOE need to priorities their educational tasks
and goals and understand what their kuleana is to the people of Hawai`i.
7.
Are you in favor of the Weighted Student Formula featured in Act 51?
With which of the modifications in the formula proposed for the coming
year do you agree?
With the scarcity of resources available, the weighted student formula
of is a red herring. Until there is sufficient funding of
Hawaii’s public education system, there will never be a
“fair” formula, which does not have the effect of pitting
school against school, program against program and student against
student.
8.
A frequent criticism of the school system has been that individual
schools have too little authority to act independently. On the
other hand, many school principals feel threatened by the
responsibility that would be theirs if they were granted more
authority. How should the Board of Education address this matter?
Schools should have more flexibility to address the specific needs and
resources of its particular community. Some principals are thinking
outside the box and experiencing a great deal of success. However, all
state funding should be distributed through the BOE, to avoid schools
competing against other schools in the legislature.
9.
Should the Board of Education evaluate the services performed by the
Department of Education in light not only of effectiveness but also of
cost and need?
The BOE needs a clear strategic plan, from which an effective
evaluation process can be developed. The BOE evaluation should
have a checks and balances that consider quantitative, measurable
outcomes against the foundational needs of the students, the schools,
the system, and the DOE as a State entity.
10.
Should the Board of Education, or a committee thereof, encourage direct
communication from teachers and principals regarding problems and
opportunities that might be addressed by Board policy decisions?
Yes. While public testimony is welcome at almost every BOE
meeting, key stake-holders, such as teachers and administrators, should
be invited to actively participate in the discussion itself. The
BOE should not set policies in a vacuum; it must consider how it
affects those in the field, and ultimately the students.
11.
How engaged would you plan to be as a Board member in seeking increased
education funding from the Legislature?
I would be very engaged in this Board function since working with the
legislature is one of my strengths. I love educating legislators
and giving them the support needed to get a bill passed or stop a bill
from passing. Last year alone, the State of Hawaii had $574 million in
tax-surplus and did not reinvest enough into public education.
12.
As a Board member, what kind of policy would you recommend for the
schools embodying Hawaii’s values of tolerance and respect for
diversity?
As a member of the DOE Safe Schools Community Advisory Committee, I
support the recommendations currently being drafted by that
Committee. As a civil rights activist I am committed to ensuring
every child have access to education and that diversity is recognized
as an enriching component of learning for everyone.
13. What is the purpose of education? Of public education?
I agree with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that the purpose of education
is to teach one to think critically and to develop character and social
consciousness. A public education should have no greater or
lesser purpose.
14. What do you see as the major current obstacles to school improvement?
Insufficient funding by state and federal officials, under-funded
mandates, low morale, teaching only to standardized test performance,
overlooking unique strengths and challenges of our students, and lack
of infrastructure to coordinate community volunteerism and family
participation in schools.
15. What questions should be asked of Board Candidates that are not on this list?
How would you move disruptive, distracting, or unprepared members along
so that the Board can fulfill its kuleana to the people of Hawaii?
How would you increase pride in our public schools?
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