Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Contact:
Kris Coffield
Learning Matters
(808) 679-7454
learningmattershawaii@gmail!om
wwwlearningmattershiorg
***FOR IMMEI!"E RE#E!SE***
#earn$n% Matters to Oppose &resc'oo( )o*c'er !mendment
+ono(*(*, +I,"d#!ation ad$o!ates ha$e formed a new %allot iss#e !ommittee& Learning
Matters& to 'rote!t '#%li! 'res!hool in (awai)i *efore the +o$em%er ele!tion& the gro#' will
aggressi$el, o''ose amending the -tate Constit#tion to allow '#%li! f#nding for 'ri$ate
'res!hools
./his amendment will 'ri$ati0e !hildhood&1 said Learning Matters Chair Kris Coffield
.2i$ing ta3 dollars to 'ri$ate earl, !hildhood ed#!ation $iolates se'aration of !h#r!h and state
do!trine& while de$astating an alread, shrin4ing state %#dget1
5nder 'ress#re from re!entl, defeated 2o$ +eil 6%er!rom%ie& lawma4ers 'assed a %ill&
in 7089& !alling for a 'o'#lar $ote on the amendment 6%er!rom%ie made esta%lishing a '#%li!-
'ri$ate earl, learning 'artnershi' a !ornerstone of his .+ew :a,1 agenda
./he 6%er!rom%ie 'lan refle!ts an indefensi%le hostilit, to '#%li! s!hool tea!hers&1 said
Coffield .;t)s #n!ons!iona%le that after for!ing tea!hers to wor4 for two ,ears witho#t a
negotiated !ontra!t& the go$ernor wants to remo$e earl, learning instr#!tion from the hands of
those most <#alified to 'ro$ide it1
;f 'assed& the amendment wo#ld di$ert #' to =875 million from '#%li! s!hools to 'ri$ate
earl, learning 'ro$iders
.>#r s!hools need re'air and maintenan!e& air !onditioning& and holisti! s#''ort
ser$i!es&1 said Coffield .?a,ing for 'ri$ate 'res!hools will steal f#nds from lo!al !lassrooms&
s<#ee0e mone, from str#ggling ta3'a,ers& and s'#r a s,stem of ed#!ation ine<#alit,1
-!hools that em'lo, #n!ertified tea!hers wo#ld %e eligi%le to re!ei$e state f#nds #nder
the 'ro'osal
Learning Matters 46-069 "me'ela ?l& @5808 Kaneohe& (awai)i 96744
wwwlearningmattershiorg learningmattershawaii@gmail!om
.-#''orters of 'res!hool $o#!hers ha$e re'eatedl, o''osed re<#iring !ertified and highl,
<#alified tea!hers as 'art of their 'lan&1 said Coffield .Children aren)t going to learn effe!ti$el,
from #nli!ensed tea!hers hired off Craigslist1
Aeligio#s instit#tions wo#ld also %e a%le to a''l, for state f#nding& if $oters ado't the
amendment
./his 'rogram offends %oth !i$il li%erties ad$o!ates and religio#s o%ser$ers&1 said
Coffield .;t gi$es ta3 dollars to faith-%ased instit#tions that '#t 2od %efore learning growth&
while !reating a 'ro!ess in whi!h religio#s s!hools will %e for!ed to se!#lari0e or lose st#dents to
!om'etitors that are willing to do so to re!ei$e state f#nds1
;f the amendment fails& se$eral o'tions are a$aila%le to 'oli!,ma4ers see4ing to %oost
're-4indergarten enrollment& in!l#ding allowing the :e'artment of "d#!ation to rent 'ri$ate
'res!hool fa!ilities for #se %, li!ensed earl, learning instr#!tors or reinstating and e3'anding
B#nior 4indergarten
."arl, !hildhood ed#!ation %enefits the longterm health of so!iet,&1 said Coffield
.6!!ordingl,& we m#st !raft a strateg, that addresses the needs of all st#dents& rather than a
s!heme that denies learning o''ort#nities to tho#sands of o#r 4ei4i1
Legislation to im'lement the !onstit#tional amendment #'on ratifi!ation failed to 'ass
d#ring 7089 and 7084 legislati$e sessions& drawing strong %i'artisan o''osition Learning
Matters has identified o$er 54&000 $oters li4el, to reBe!t the amendment& whi!h a''ears on the
%allot as <#estion 4
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Learning Matters 46-069 "me'ela ?l& @5808 Kaneohe& (awai)i 96744
wwwlearningmattershiorg learningmattershawaii@gmail!om