SR186 SD1

WHEREAS, the Department of Education is one of the largest public agencies in the State and is responsible for the education of the State's public school children; and

WHEREAS, personnel costs represent a significant portion of the Department's budget, and decisions regarding the establishment of administrative and program positions have long‑term fiscal and operational implications; and

WHEREAS, the Superintendent of Education is vested with authority to organize and manage the Department, including the establishment and classification of positions, and to supervise Complex Area Superintendents, who are responsible for the oversight and performance of schools within their respective regions; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Education has a responsibility to provide governance and oversight for the Department, including review and approval of certain organizational structures and positions, and to ensure that appropriate systems are in place to evaluate leadership performance across the Department; and

WHEREAS, ensuring that the creation of positions and the supervision and evaluation of leadership are transparent, consistent, and aligned with legislative intent is essential to maintaining public trust and accountability; and

WHEREAS, questions have been raised regarding the growth, justification, and approval processes for administrative and program positions, as well as the effectiveness of oversight and performance evaluation of Complex Area Superintendents; and

WHEREAS, an independent, objective review of these Department functions by the Auditor would provide clarity regarding current practices and identify opportunities to strengthen governance, efficiency, accountability, and leadership effectiveness; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2026, that the Auditor is requested to conduct a performance audit of the Department of Education's process for establishing, classifying, and approving administrative and program positions, and its supervision and evaluation of Complex Area Superintendents; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the audit is requested to include but not be limited to an examination of the following:

(1) Authority and process, including:

(A) The statutory and policy authority under which positions are created;

(B) The process used by the Superintendent of Education to establish new positions; and

(2) Board of Education oversight, including:

(A) The role of the Board of Education in reviewing and approving positions;

(B) The consistency and rigor of the Board of Education's approval process; and

(3) Growth and trends, including:

(A) The number and types of administrative and program positions created in the Department of Education over the past ten years; and

(B) Trends in the growth of administrative positions compared to school-level or classroom positions;

(4) Alignment with legislative intent, including:

(A) Whether the positions established align with legislative appropriations and policy objectives; and

(B) Whether positions are funded as was intended by the Legislature;

(5) Fiscal impact, including the short- and long-term fiscal impact of newly created positions, taking into account salaries, benefits, and associated costs;

(6) Organizational efficiency, including:

(A) Whether there is duplication, overlap, or fragmentation of roles; and

(B) Whether reporting structures are clear and effective;

(7) Internal controls and accountability, including:

(A) The adequacy of internal controls governing position creation and approval; and

(B) Whether there are safeguards to prevent unnecessary or duplicative positions;

(8) Transparency and documentation, including:

(A) Whether sufficient documentation exists to justify the creation of positions; and

(B) Whether decisions are transparent and accessible to oversight bodies;

(9) Comparative analysis, including a comparison of the Department of Education's administrative staffing levels and structures to those of similarly sized school systems;

(10) Supervision of Complex Area Superintendents, including:

(A) The structure and processes by which the Department of Education supervises Complex Area Superintendents;

(B) The clarity of roles, responsibilities, and reporting relationships; and

(11) Evaluation of Complex Area Superintendents, including:

(A) The criteria and metrics used to evaluate performance;

(B) The frequency and rigor of evaluations;

(D) Whether performance evaluations are used to inform personnel decisions, including retention, promotion, or corrective action;

(12) Accountability and performance management, including:

(A) Whether there are clear expectations and accountability mechanisms for Complex Area Superintendents;

(B) The extent to which underperformance is identified and addressed; and

(13) Recommendations to improve governance, transparency, efficiency, accountability, and leadership effectiveness; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Auditor is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2027; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Auditor, Chairperson of the Board of Education, and Superintendent of Education.

Report Title:

DOE; Performance; CAS; Positions; Audit

THE SENATE	S.R. NO.	186
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII