Testimony On Native Hawaiian Education Act’s School Improvement Programs Before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education
Senator Daniel K. Inouye, Chair February 18, 2004 Kaimuki High School, Honolulu Hawaii
Good Morning Mr. Chairman,
My name is Bruce A. Coppa and serve as the Chair of Hawaii 3R's, an organization that serves public schools throughout Hawaii by funding repair and maintenance of their facilities. I am also the Managing Director of the Pacific Resource Partnership and have been in the construction industry for over 30 years.
I am here today to first of all thank you for your leadership, vision and support of this program. I vividly recall how in 2001 we all came together to create Hawaii 3R's to tackle the estimated $640 million repair and maintenance backlog that faced Hawaii’s public schools. Because of your support through the Joint Venture Education Forum (Department of Defense), and State and private funding, Hawaii 3R's has awarded over $2.3 million for 72 projects statewide—completing $5.7 million worth of projects since August 2001.
Hawaii 3R's has awarded eight grants to Maui schools, four to Kauai schools, 6 to Hawaii schools, two to Molokai schools, and 52 grants to Oahu schools. More than giving out grants, Hawaii 3R's has been able to bring together over 1000 community members and organizations to complete these necessary repairs to their neighborhood schools.
What makes this program unique is its successful partnership with almost every educational stakeholder, from parents to businesses and especially the State. Hawaii 3R's works because everyone is working together to accomplish the same goal of providing better learning environments for our children.
I would like to highlight the State’s involvement. We not only have the full support of the State Department of Education, but we also have the help of a full-time Department of Accounting and General Services’ Coordinator. His specific duties and tasks are to make sure that Hawaii 3R's and the State are working in the most effective and efficient way possible.
In summary, we have done a lot of work in the last few years, but we still have a lot to do. The impact of the federal dollars has been felt statewide and will continue to help the schools that need it most. I would like to thank you for the newly passed legislation through the Native Hawaiian Education Act. The $1 million shall be used for the renovation and maintenance of schools with a 25% or more Native Hawaiian students. There are 122 schools that have the potential to receive grants from Hawaii 3R's.
Again, I would like to thank you for your unyielding support of public schools through Hawaii 3R's. With your help, we can continue to make a difference in the lives of our young people and give them the learning environments that they deserve.
Together we can Repair, Remodel, and Restore Hawaii’s public schools.
Thank you.
Bruce A. Coppa Chair Hawaii 3R's
