Board of Education restores cuts to school learning centers

Middle and high school learning centers will likely retain their funding and staff after hundreds of students and teachers opposed the Department of Education’s proposal to cut funding for these programs next year.

On Thursday, the Board of Education voted to keep about $2 million for learning centers in DOE’s 2025 to 2027 budget. The centers offer after-school and weekend programs for students across the state interested in STEM, performing arts, agriculture and other subjects.

The state currently provides each center with an annual budget of $17,000 and a part-time coordinator.

DOE’s original proposal for its operating budget, which totals more than $2 billion, would have been eliminated budgets of learning centers next year and eliminated their staff positions in 2026. The proposal attracted more than 1,000 pages written testimony from teachers, alumni and parents who argued that centers need continued state investment to adequately serve students.

“Without the state’s budget and respite, maintaining our learning center will put additional pressure on our school to find funding to keep these resources active,” wrote Katie Kealoha, who directs the center’s Waianae High School that focuses on marine sciences.

DOE initially said schools would be responsible for funding their learning centers through their own budgets, which are largely based on student enrollment. But many advocates said schools don’t have the extra money to support their learning centers and staff, and board members agreed Thursday to maintain state support for the programs.

DOE’s budget continues to include significant cuts to other programs, including $200,000 for Title IX training and $5.8 million for services for students with autism. In one recent note Speaking to the BOE, Superintendent Keith Hayashi cited instructions from state leaders that departments should maintain their current funding levels rather than seeking more resources from lawmakers.

“The ministry is aware of the budgetary challenges faced by the state in preparing for the 2025-2027 fiscal year and realizes the importance of better use of current resources,” the ministry said in the paper. budget justification document it was published earlier this month. “During the parliamentary hearings, we were asked to look inward to fund some of our budget requests.”

In her testimony at Thursday’s meeting, Rep. Della Au Belatti praised BOE for continuing funding for learning centers but urged school leaders to push for more state funding for education.

“We really need the administration to move past these recommendations and submit to the Legislature a budget that ensures all of our children thrive,” she said.

Civil Beat’s education reporting is supported by a grant from Chamberlin Family Philanthropy.