In what could be the largest cut in history facing the Department of Education, more than 200 jobs and dozens of educational services could be eliminated.

The Board of Education agreed to a budget reduction plan of $46.5 million, and says the existing budget cuts fromt his year come close to $69 million.

From mid afternoon into the late evening, the Board of Education labored to come to terms with a budget cut aimed at slashing their budget by up to $69 million.

“Given the financial and economic picture globally, I am afraid that we are in for a very very long and difficult time,” Board of Education chair Donna Ikeda said.

The board agreed to a 15 percent cut of $46.5 million, but failed to meet the mandate from Governor Lingle to cut $69 million. However, the BOE says if you include the budget cuts from 2008 they almost meet the mark.

“We hit the 20% if you add to that 46 million, the 19 million that has already taken out because that was taken out this year but its not added back on for the next year,” Ikeda said.

After hours of public testimony the board decided to take $1.2 million, set aside for restructuring schools, to keep a few of the programs including Peer Education and Special Olympics.

“Yes, yes, yes, motion passes,” Board of Education vice chair Karen Knudsen said Thursday night.

“The reinstatement of these programs shows that the Board of Education understands that they really do not want to impact the learning of children,” HSTA President Roger Takabayashi said.

However these programs are not exempt from cuts they will each have to sacrifice 10 percent from their budget...and another a program coping with cuts is athletics.

School athletics programs are preparing for a cut of nearly $800,000 in supplies, equipment, uniforms and transportation.

“The school athletic programs are already under funded, and so this $800,000 loss cripples them even more and if we are not at the breaking point we surely are close,” HHSAA executive director Keith Amemiya said.

Other programs affected by the cuts include special education and speech pathology. Students will also have to go without new science text books and materials.
The cuts could take effect as early as July 1 2009.