One is the 47 million uh which is um the 2.75 million increase. Uh again, structured stabilization. We're trying to fix the long-term health of our community. That's my goal with this. My goal with the override is not to add new staff. It's to fix the deficit problem we have. And that includes not only uh the the use of the school choice funds. It includes $300,000 for athletics that we've continuously been in deficit of. Um, and that each year, uh, we're looking at whether utilizing additional transportation funds to offset athletic transportation or, uh, school choice accounts to offset additional expenses in athletics or uh, looking at our general fund when maybe someone has been uh, out and we haven't filled a position, offsetting some of those. it. We need to fix this problem and that's what we're trying to do with the 2.75. Um the the we talked about eight teachers currently are being funded through um school choice.
I'm a little we can ask >> first I will start by saying how grateful I am for everyone sitting back there. I would say honestly um our teachers are fantastic. Our pair of professionals are fantastic. Um, we have a very skilled staff and I would say that in all honesty, everyone is probably at capacity. Um, the need is intense. Yes. >> Um and it is growing and um I'm not exactly sure what the solution is to that. Um I think it is about time and it is about funding um to have adequate supports. Um I think something at the preschool level that um I think there is a certain um you know we're not mandated. Preschool's not mandatory there. Sometimes it just in our society in general, you look at preschool and kind of like, oh yeah, but it is we need um we need the supports like um we we need a full-time school adjustment counselor because there are intense needs um for children and families.
>> I'm a little we can ask the teachers. >> First, I will start by saying how grateful I am for everyone sitting back there. I would say honestly um our teachers are fantastic, our pair of professionals are fantastic. Um we have a very skilled staff and I would say that in all honesty everyone is probably at capacity. Um the need is intense. >> Yeah. um and it is growing and um I'm not exactly sure what the solution is to that. Um I think it is about time and it is about funding um to have adequate supports. Um I think something at the preschool level that um I think there is a certain um you know we're not mandated. Preschool is not mandatory there. Sometimes it just in our society in general, you look at preschool and kind of like, oh yeah, but it is we need um we need the supports like um we we need a full-time school adjustment counselor because there are intense needs um for children and families.
And I'm afraid, right, that if we steer away from an all or nothing, then we're creating a situation where we're not being compliant and we're not being fair and equitable to all families in Brookfield. So, that's my concern. I think that Well, said. I understand. Yeah. I understand. It's just Yeah, it's it seems like a an extra sting. Yeah, I mean in that situation. All right. Well, thank you. Is it and I Yeah, I mean there's nothing else really to say. >> know. I'm not But um so, would you um allow me to reach out to the necessary folks? It's fine by me, absolutely. Absolutely. Keep us updated. Thank you. I mean is there anything >> Is there anything that the magnet school is willing to do as far as their own town? Well, I think that's what we want to do. Yeah, that's the law said that it has to be the sending district.
I mean, obviously if you don't have an English learner, you're probably not going to be on that committee, but do you find any of these to be like you need more people on We we need more people. The ELAC and DELAC are brand new this year and the PAC are brand new. Um so, that's to be determined, right? Like we've had an ELAC and DELAC meeting already um and we have another one coming up and our first PAC meeting is also coming up soon. So, we'll see. Um the parent teacher clubs the principals would have to speak to that um as far as if those are well attended, if the attendance has been stable, if it's low, I don't know. Are they taking them? Yeah. So, we get it. Like parents are busy, right? And people a lot of we're we're in a situation where we have a lot of families where like both parents or guardians have are working, right?
Is that right? health, I don't I'm not aware of any national like comprehensive health education data collection, and I believe there's even one state where health education, at least one state where health education's not a required >> There are There are national uh conferences whatever that can help you get that information. >> But my concern is that we have students coming into the state have missed this opportunity. So, we have to figure out what that grade level is that would catch some of these students. Thank you. Okay, with no other questions I'm going to recess the education committee. Thank you both. And we're going to go into our joint committee of Hawaiian Thank you. We are now convening our joint committee on education and committee on Hawaiian affairs with our chair of Hawaiian affairs Senator Richards and his committee. Welcome. We are on 101 agenda item at 2:09.
And uh the program dates, the the new for 2026 with the high school program is that rather than going the entire 15 days, three weeks, uh students would in the past in the morning take a class for three weeks. In the afternoon they had an opportunity to take another class three weeks. In this particular model, they're going to take one class for the first seven and a half days. So, session one is uh June 1st through June 10th. When you finish that class June 10th, you're finished with that course, semester 1. If you have a semester 2 course you need to take, then you're going to pick it right up and continue on. We wanted to see if that model would help uh with enrollment. If students perhaps had to work, this would minimize the number of days that they would be unable to work.
And my belief is they were not put in there. Correct. That's our intention is to not not pay attention to what the board wants, not pay attention to what the community wants, but to actually provide those novels that are acceptable in this community, which may be different than some other community. So that's my only concern is that's what we've been attempting. And that's why we've had I'm going to say this roughly between all the different meetings in the neighborhood of two dozen meetings about the novels to ensure that we're meeting what the board wants. So I just say that cautionary because we've gone overboard and I will thank Tim and his department for the effort they've done to make sure we're meeting exactly what the board is telling us to do. And I thought that's what we did. If I'm wrong, apologies, but I think that's what we're trying to do.
These are all counselors for the most part. I'd say about seven seven counselors of the eight um educators. Um, somebody asked the question, well, what happens if you're going to cut those folks if uh so no, we have we need our counselors. That's just how they're funded. They need to be in our operating budget. Um so so that's um the approach here. If we don't pass that override, then then that 3.25% um is the next number I would ask you eventually to approve, right? Um it it maintains our services, but only in the short term. Um it's high risk again. Um it puts back uh that 300,000 that for athletics that we'll have to figure out how to absorb uh most likely through school choice. Uh and then by 2028 uh we're looking at that cliff. Everyone's been talking about the fiscal cliff uh partly because of the esser money um that we received after COVID and during COVID.
And if we can get some of um those supports in place for children before they leave AAL and move on to the elementary schools, I think it will I mean it will benefit everyone. Um so I guess I just would say the investment in prek will not be wasted. any investment you put there will pay off. Um because these guys can do the work. Um they have the expertise and they can do it but we we need we need the supports. Um I guess that's it. But I would I would just uh support what Jill is saying. I can tell the students who have been to preschool when they enter kindergarten and you know I've in in this environment I have definitely seen fewer. So it is a there is a little learning curve and a a little bit sharp sharp curve but I I have to say that I'm so thankful that we have AAL because it is serving a very important purpose for the students who are >> who are here.
And if we can get some of um those supports in place for children before they leave AAL and move on to the elementary schools, I think it will I mean it will benefit everyone. Um so I guess I just would say the investment in prek will not be wasted. any investment you put there will pay off. Um because these guys can do the work. Um they have the expertise and they can do it but we we need we need the supports. Um I guess that's it. But I would I would just uh support what Jill is saying. I can tell the students who have been to preschool when they enter kindergarten and you know I've in in this environment I have definitely seen fewer. So it is a there is a little learning curve and a little bit sharp sharp curve but I I have to say that I'm so thankful that we have AAL because it is serving a very important purpose for the students who are >> who are here.
>> It's that law's gone. Okay. I mean that whole I mean I am I am waiting for a call back from the magnet person specific, right, from she was not she did not get back to the woman that I spoke with, the attorney I spoke to um at that point, but that whole language that you can appeal to your district to make an exception, right? We call it a waiver, but it actually is a letter of exception that we're writing to the principal. Um that language is now removed. It's bracketed, it's being removed completely. So, my question is could the magnet school or could a Danbury public school, while they're doing if they're offering a waiver process, could it be reciprocal that if we do have one or two students in Brookfield, would they consider evaluating, you know, the students that are on the list?
Um we are trying to make sure that we hold these meetings at access like times that would be helpful for folks. But you know, we also several of them need to have their principals and teachers on them too. So, we have to be mindful of like their time also. Um So, I think just like talking about this in this forum, sending out a parent I'm going to send this out on Parent Square, direct people to the website. Now it's more public, people know about it. So, if if parents are asking how they can get involved, we can direct them to places and spaces that maybe were not in existence before. I have a question. Um the parent advisory committee, is that um one committee for the entire district Yes. or is it site specific? It's for the district. And then the school site councils, those are site specific?
And we are starting out with Senate concurrent resolution 162, Senate resolution 153, requesting the Department of Education to convene a shared decision-making committee to develop an action plan to establish K- through 12 Ka Puni school in Kapolei. Testifiers beginning with Carlos Canazola from the University of Hawaii West Oahu. Leeward. Nobody? Okay. Keith Hayashi. DOE. Aloha mai kakahiaka. My name is Kaulana and I am representing the Department of Education today. Um we stand on our written testimony with a few comments about um that would that I would like you guys to uh take a look at the recommendations for language change um to the resolution and I can be available for questions if necessary. Aloha. Thank you. Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Present. Joel Olani Lilly on Zoom. Not present here. Not present. Okay. Andrea Diaz Machado. Aloha. Aloha. Aloha mai uh Chair Kim, Chair Richards, Vice Chair Kidani, Vice Chair Lamusao, and members of the Senate Committees on Education and Hawaiian Affairs.
Um it also I think because of our shorter summers with year round um that we are making it more possible for students to have uh vacation with families to have opportunities for other experiences. So in addition new for 2026 is if the student successfully completes the course the tuition fee will be waved. Transportation is also available and we offer those core classes you would expect to see the English, math, and science classes. In addition to having that in-person onsite program, um, our high schools offer summer lift labs. Summer lift labs are generally computer-based instruction. They're oftent times a hybrid. The student comes in, works on the class, but may be able to work on the class from home. But the main thing is that they have an adult at the school who is there uh for help and support. Again, uh if the students are successful, there's no fee associated with it.
And so, you can do it backwards if you want, but I think there's a bunch of professionals out here that are attempting to bring to you guys that which is utilized based on lots of different uh school districts. And so, I like I say, I just take a little bit of umbrage because I think we've gone overboard to try to meet the needs of you guys and what you want. Um, and so I I would just stand on that. suggesting would actually lower the amount of meetings that have to take place and work. So if you we the graph that you were working on the grid. >> So if you presented that to the board before we submit it out to the committees kind of like let's look let's look at the curriculum. >> Yeah. In this instance and maybe that's part of the confusion in this instance there is there is no committee.
I think we did a really good job of navigating that uh and started pulling folks into our budget uh andor when Aaron last year um modified her schedule there were there were reductions at the middle school right um but the teams that were created the half teams that were created were partly out of the esser funding uh and then we had to um navigate that so no matter what there are 13.2 to full-time positions that are going to be reduced. And that's another slide in a little bit. I'm just sharing with you another way of looking at this. It's a 6% increase. That's what we're asking the community to to approve for our budget. 6.18% increase. So, you know, it's significant. We've averaged, by the way, about a five and a quarter % increase over the last 10 years and that's because the revenue was much higher.
I I have to say I I notice the difference and I'm excited that you're looking at some more of a curriculum. Maybe that can dovetail a little bit with what they're expected to do in kindergarten. >> Yeah. >> So, at Federal Street, I think my staff is amazing and I I'm sorry that it wasn't a part of my presentation because they really um they have been committed. They are creative. Um they've been the teaching staff has been very courageous in the last few years in my opinion in being willing to think outside the box to do the things that we're asking that are new implementing a lot of new um programs. They've um done so um professionally and um they've really taken ownership and they're really proud of the progress that they see in their students. Our instructional assistants are fantastic. Um, and I have to mention our great custodians and our kitchen staff because they're it's just such a warm place to be.
I I have to say I I notice the difference and I'm excited that you're looking at some more of a curriculum. Maybe that can dovetail a little bit with what they're expected to do in kindergarten. >> Yeah. >> So, at Federal Street, I think my staff is amazing and I I'm sorry that it wasn't a part of my presentation because they really um they have been committed. They are creative. Um they've been the teaching staff has been very courageous in the last few years in my opinion in being willing to think outside the box to do the things that we're asking that are new implementing a lot of new um programs. They've um done so um professionally and um they've really taken ownership and they're really proud of the progress that they see in their students. Our instructional assistants are fantastic. Um, and I have to mention our great custodians and our kitchen staff because they're it's just such a warm place to be.
Right? Because I don't even know if we're not doing the process, we haven't even we don't even have what we're doing. No, that makes sense, for sure. >> So, I just wonder if it's something, you know, could we contact the superintendent in Danbury and be like, "Hey, while you're doing your kindergarten screening would it be possible for you to screen two of our students?" And then it's district to district. It just seems strange that a sending district would be evaluating a child for school readiness and they're not going to our school, they're going to another school. No, you're right. You're absolutely right. Right. And and look, I I would love to see them screened, right? I think in an ideal world, we they would be able to get screened. I just wonder if we have an alternative to screening within a district that is already incoming like an ice for your four and a half year olds.