PSS reaffirms need for Interscholastic funding

The Public School System and State Board of Education recently reaffirmed the need to obtain financial assistance from Gov. Juan N. Babauta to fund an after-school sports program for junior high and high school students.

In a letter addressed to Babauta, Education Commissioner Dr. Rita H. Inos and BOE chair Roman C. Benavente explained that they need $260,000 to fund the Interscholastic Sports Program, which includes various sports such as outrigger canoeing, basketball, volleyball, track and field, archery, swimming, baseball, football, and field hockey for both male and female leagues.

“The Interscholastic Sports Program will directly benefit over 5,000 students enrolled in our secondary school,” the commissioner and chair said in the statement.

Last June, PSS requested $200,000 for the same program but the amount covered high school activities only. The additional $60,000, according to federal coordinator Tim Thornburgh, would enable PSS to cover junior high school students as well.

Thornburgh said elementary school activities are covered through federal funds—the Safe and Drug Free Program or Title V USDOE federal funds—but PSS is restricted from using these funds for junior high and high school activities, thus resulting in the request for assistance through Compact Impact funding.

If granted, each of the five public high schools would receive $36,756 for equipment and uniforms. The schools would also split $12,622 for team travel between Tinian, Rota, and Saipan, and another $4,000 for training of coaches, referees, umpires, and timekeepers.

The Interscholastic Sports Program is designed to enable educationally and economically disadvantaged youth to achieve success in school, PSS said.

The program is designed to teach fitness education and help students understand the importance of being physically fit; teach a variety of individual and team sport skills; provide opportunities to develop positive social and cooperative skills through practice and competitive sports; provide latest research, issues and trends in healthy exercise and healthy eating habits; and provide proper equipment, training, and officials for each sport.

The PSS receives some $36.9 million in local appropriations but Inos said earlier that this alone would not be able to support the program.

“The $36.9 million annual local appropriation to the PSS, provided under continuing resolution at P.L. 13-24 levels, pays for majority of our personnel and almost nothing else,” she said.

Inos further noted that the $36.9 million represents a $5 million reduction from 1997 and 1998 funding.

“Further, PSS has opened six new schools and added an additional 2,190 students since the 1996-1997 school year,” she said. “This reduction in local support for the education of our children has made it impossible for the PSS to fund the costs of interscholastic sports as well as many other programs.”