ハワイ旅行･ホテル･ショッピング･グルメ･求人

The State Legislature has announced that it was reducing the Departments of Education's budget by a $7.7 million next year, leaving the DOE with a meager $2.4 billion operating budget. Budget constraints are blamed on tax revenue shortfalls projected to affect the state this year. In an effort to make up for the shortfall, DOE officials are considering raising fees on certain programs across the state.

Under consideration are increased costs for the A+ program, an after school childcare program which costs about $55 per month for parents, bus fares, which cost 35 cents for a one-way trip, and school lunches. Students already faced an increase in lunch prices in July from $1.00 to $1.25. While the cost increases are under consideration by the DOE, many on the school board are hesitant to pass those increases on to students.

Aside from the operating budget, the State has allocated an additional $313 million in construction money in 2008-09 to close hundreds of cesspools, build new campuses and classrooms and renovate old ones. Of the money, $49 million will go to replace some 320 large-capacity cesspools at 60 schools as required by the US Environmental Protection Agency, $66.4 million for school repairs and general maintenance, $100 million for classroom renovations, and $800,000 to build Ewa Makai Middle and $20 million for Kihei High.