April 29, 2005 Charter schools

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Aloha!

Publicly funded charter schools offer children and their parents successful and innovative educational alternatives.

The enrollment in Hawai`i’s charter schools has been growing and will top 6,000 students next year.  Charter schools provide important options for parents, children and teachers.

Yet these schools are woefully under funded.  I have proposed an additional $12 million in funding for charter schools which will provide them the much-needed resources to thrive, while addressing financial shortfalls based on outdated funding formulas.

So far, the Legislature has not put this money into the budget.

Please ask your legislator to support full funding for Hawai`i’s charter schools.  It is the fair thing to do.  And it is the right thing to do for the future of our children.

Mahalo.  This is Governor Linda Lingle.