Hawaii Senate Backs Deep School Budget Cuts

Educators in Hawaii fear the state's schools may see larger class sizes, fewer support services for teachers, and another postponement of new initiatives if the final state budget resembles the one approved by the Senate last week.

Although Senate leaders have yet to release many details of their budget plan for the 1998-99 biennium, they have called for cutting about $26 million out of the current education department budget over the next two years--more than $75 million, or about 6 percent, less than education officials say they need to meet the state's growing education needs.

Senate leaders said they would not cut key school programs or classroom services. But education leaders say the anticipated cuts, which come on the heels of four years of reduced education funding and increasing enrollments in Hawaii's unique statewide school system, could be devastating...