Patricia HamamotoSuperintendent

January 31, 2007

Informational BriefingDepartment of Education

Weighted Student Formula

Informational BriefingDepartment of Education

Weighted Student Formula

Copyright © 2007 Hawaii State Department of Education

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DOE supports equitable educational opportunity

for all students

Weighted Student Formula (WSF) is a way to allocate funds to schools based

on student educational needs….

WSF does not address

adequate funding

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Underlying Assumptions for Equity:

1. Schools with similar students should get a similar amount of funds.

2. Schools with students who have a harder time becoming proficient should get more funds to support their efforts.

In other words….Education is the great equalizer…

it supports social justice!

It takes more resources to teach a child in a poor area than it takes to

teach a child in an affluent area.

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Percent of Students with Special Needs 2006

Special Education

5%

Section 5041%

Multiple Special Needs13%

Economically Disadvantaged

30%

No Special Needs49%

English Second Language Learners

3%

Totals may not be exactly 100% due to rounding

Over 50% of our students require more resources!

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SY2005-06 Data Indicates:

• Schools with higher % of economically disadvantaged students have lower % of proficient readers

• Schools with higher % of ESL students have lower % of proficient readers

• Schools with higher % of transient students have lower % of proficient readers

• Also true in national data

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Poverty is a strong predictive indicator for poor student performance

Hawaii State Assessment Reading 2005 and 2006

58

36

4857

35

47

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Not Poor Poor Overall

Per

cen

t P

rofi

cien

t Percent Proficient 2005

Percent Proficient 2006

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Poverty is a strong predictive indicator for poor student performance

Hawaii State Assessment Math 2005 and 2006

32

15

24

34

17

27

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Not Poor Poor Overall

Per

cen

t P

rofi

cien

t

Percent Proficient 2005

Percent Proficient 2006

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Other factors of inequity:

• Very small schools cost more per student

• K-2 class ratios

• Isolated schools (Hana, Molokai, Lanai, Kohala, Kau)

• Multi-track schools cost more in some operational areas

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Tale of Two Schools: Pre-WSF

Fern Kalihi Waena Diff.

Enrollment 555 556 +1

% “Poor” 73.4% 70.9% -2.5%

% ESLL 36.7% 27.3% -9.4%

$*/student $5,012 $5,101 +$89

Total $* $2,781,804 $2,836,116 +$54,312

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Weights for SY2006-07

Weighted Characteristic Weight $ Value

Economically Disadvantaged

.100 $428.84

ESL .189 $808.78

K-2 .150 $643.26

Geographic Isolation .005 $21.44

Multi-track .005 $21.44

School Level Varies by School Level

Transiency .025 $107.21

Small School Adjustment per student under enrollment

$400

Value of “1” = $4,288.40

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Tale of Two Schools: WSF

Fern Kalihi Waena

Enrollment $2,458,056 $2,464,485

% Poor $174,379 $168,743

% ESLL $164,423 $122,529

% Trans. $9,858 $39,027

K-2 $142,544 $152,175

Total WSF $ $2,949,260 $2,946,959

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Act 160/SLH2006, Section 47.1

• $20M – Base Foundation - SY2006-07– Elementary $63,300– Middle $84,350– High School $126,580– Combination $147,680

• $20M – Base Foundation - SY2007-08– Not included in Executive Budget– Executive Budget includes $20 M

in WSF for Equipment Replacement

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WSF is a tool that supports equity for educational opportunities!!

• Continue to support Weighted Student Formula

• Continue the $20 Million foundation

• Continue the $1 Million Supt fund

• Support isolated and unique schools ($ X Million)

• Remember…we’re only in the FIRST year of Weighted Student Formula implementation!

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Mahalo for all your support these past years!