Voting yes to H.L.I. 18-12

On Nov. 4, voters will decide to amend a 29-year-old constitutional provision that is critical to meeting the needs of public education and the commitment for smaller class sizes, full day kindergarten classes, classroom instruction materials and instructional technology, and continuous school improvement and modernization of school facilities.

House Legislative Initiative 18-12 proposes to increase the guaranteed funding level that PSS must receive—from government revenue sources for its annual appropriation—by an additional 10 percent, from the current 15 percent, raising it to 25 percent.

In fully supporting H.L.I. 18-12, both the House of Representatives and the Senate acknowledged that increasing the minimum guaranteed funding for public education will also reflect the actual cost PSS spends in services and opportunities for a growing student population.

At the close of school year 2013-2014, PSS served close to 11,000 students enrolled on 19 campuses and 10 Head Start centers spread throughout Saipan, Tinian and Rota.

‘Untouched for 29 years’

The current funding level for PSS is one of the “most important amendments” put forward by delegates to the 2nd Constitutional Amendment.

On April 21, 1985, all 24 delegates voted and passed Amendment 38, which provide that PSS “would receive not less than 15 percent of the general revenues” of the Commonwealth. This amendment formed part of the constitutional provision that provided for an elected Board of Education and the establishment of an autonomous Public School System.

All 44 proposed amendments, including Amendment 38 recommended by all 24 delegates, were approved by CNMI voters in the 1985 general elections.

Since then, however, the PSS funding provision in the Constitution remained untouched.

Current findings

The House Health, Education and Welfare Committee in its findings pointed out that over the last 29 years, the existing “15 percent” minimum funding guarantee for PSS did not reflect the actual cost of providing public education to a growing public schools’ student population.

The seven-person committee also agrees with PSS and the Board of Education that, through H.L.I. 18-12, it will “help assuage the uncertainty of funding that prohibits [PSS] from future planning.”

PSS is a non-revenue generating instrumentality that relies heavily on state funding, and competes against other government departments and agencies in government revenue sources for its annual appropriation for operations.

It is also a single largest instrumentality in terms of employees, stakeholders and students served, and facilities maintained and operated.

Still, by comparison, the school district’s funding level is not reflective of the growing cost of classroom learning, the House committee added and agrees with PSS.

“Funding needs have risen due to factors such as the increase of diverse student population and the vital need for public schools to provide rigorous curriculum in a broad range of subject areas, well-trained teachers, programs and assistive technologies that aid in promoting higher learning,” the committee pointed out.

Four areas

Voting to approve H.L.I. 18-12 in the Nov. 4 general election is to support four critical areas that will directly benefit from the intent of the initiative. They are: 1) Full-time, Full-Day Kindergarten Programs for all 5 year olds, 2) Classroom Instruction Materials and Instructional Technology, 3) Class-size Reduction, and 4) Continuous School Improvement and Modernization of School Facilities.

PSS currently provides for a half-day Kindergarten classes for 5 year olds. At the close of school year 2013, over 500 availed of this program. Data culled by the school district showed that the number of children that could avail of the program could increase by 40 percent more if there is funding to support full-time, full-day classes.

With Classroom Instruction Materials and Instructional Technology, the school district continues to make headway in meeting its goal to produce high school graduates who are college- and career-ready. Still, there needs for additional support in terms of resources.

And at the onset of 21st century, technology has changed classroom instruction dramatically. This is true for PSS when it embraced change and innovation to best serve public school students, by implementing research-based instructional strategies and best practices in improving student learning.

And sustaining this direction hinges on the availability of funding.

Class size or public schools’ teacher-student ratio continue to increase, and at the close of SY 2013, it ballooned to one teacher to 36 students in some schools. This figure is an all-time high.

PSS is working to bring this down to one teacher to 25 students to meet the BOE policy.

Under Continuous School Improvement and Modernization of School Facilities, PSS has been hailed by AdvancED, the accrediting parent organization of North Central Association-Commissioner on Accreditation and School Improvement. It received high marks in 3 of its quality standards.

However, it must work toward improving 2 school district quality standards: 1) Resources and Support System, and 2) Using Results for Continuous Improvement.

The findings bolster the need for PSS to upgrade almost all of its facilities. The school system has a total of 19 campuses with school building built between the late 1940s and most recent was only in 2002. These school facilities are between 12 and 68 years old.

And due to budget constraints, PSS has absorbed an estimated $11.3 million worth of deferred maintenance or postponement measure for facilities’ repairs and renovations.

The BOE and the PSS is supporting this initiative and is appealing to the general public to vote in support of this initiative, which is an in investment for the children. (PSS)