After enduring a school year cut short by 17 Furlough Fridays, public school students and their parents, along with principals, teachers and other education officials, head into next year with a complete academic calendar once again.
"The bottom line is the furloughs are over," Gov. Linda Lingle declared yesterday at a news conference in her office.
Officials say they hope they can close the book on Furlough Fridays — an embarrassment for the state that drew criticism from national education officials and attracted further attention after a week of sit-in protests at the governor's office led to arrests.
The Hawaii State Teachers Association, the Department of Education and Board of Education reached a supplemental agreement in March to a contract that restored all furlough days. It was contingent on the Legislature approving the funds and Lingle releasing the money.
Lawmakers set aside $67 million from the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund to fund the agreement.
Lingle has agreed to release $57.2 million to cover 11 of the 17 furlough days scheduled for next year — an amount she says is needed to bring back "essential" employees. Teachers would convert six of their planning days — when students are not in school — to instructional time, to cover the remaining days.
Additionally, $2.2 million in federal stimulus funds is being allotted to cover charter schools.
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