While the state is planning cuts to the Department of Education's operating budget, it also plans to push ahead with millions of dollars in construction projects on public school campuses.

The DOE is set to spend some $317 million in repairs, building maintenance and new construction over the next two years. The money is part of a $1.8 billion effort by the state to stimulate the economy through public works projects.

"Very roughly, the nature of what will be spent over the next two years includes the 'Ewa Makai Middle School project, classroom renovations, on-going repair and maintenance," said Randy Moore, assistant superintendent of business services for the DOE.

"What you see in the stimulus package is what we've been planning and has already been approved by the Legislature."

Gov. Linda Lingle is also requesting that the public school system receive another $100 million a year for the next two years to address its growing repair and maintenance backlog.

The push for construction projects comes at a time when the public school system is experiencing a cut in services and staff. The governor this week requested that lawmakers cut the DOE budget by $40 million. That includes several dozen programs and 239 staff positions, none of which are at the school level.

State Rep. Roy Takumi, chairman of the House Committee on Education, said this week that he's concerned about what he said was an over-emphasis on construction, while portions of the education department's operational budget are being cut.

"What I find lacking is the investment in the human side. What about preschool education? The governor zeroed out the budget for the Early Learning Council. What about the arts? She zeroed out the budget for the Hawaii Arts Alliance," he said.

"Let's invest in construction for the short term. But let's not forget about the long-term view."

TWO FUNDED PROJECTS

DOE officials say they are happy to see their planned construction projects are still on track, even during this tough economy.

Included in the $317 million in stimulus projects is the much anticipated construction of 'Ewa Makai Middle School in the Campbell complex. That project is estimated at $70.8 million. The DOE expects to break ground on that school sometime in February, Moore said.

'Ewa Makai Middle, set to open in July 2010, has been on the drawing board for at least a decade. Officials pushing for the project cited the growing population on the 'Ewa plains.

"Ilima Intermediate is beyond capacity right now. This should bring some relief," Moore said.

'Ewa Makai will have room for about 1,400 students in grades six, seven and eight once it is fully complete.

Similarly, $45.1 million for the construction of Wailuku II Elementary School is also included. Sanford Beppu, head of Capital Improvement Project Planning for the DOE, said the Wailuku project still needs to go through the design phase. The anticipated opening for that school is sometime in 2012, he said.

CONSOLIDATION EFFORT

The DOE is planning for new schools while it simultaneously started a process to close small or underutilized facilities. Citing the shift of the population from urban areas to rural and suburban neighborhoods, Moore said the DOE is attempting to serve the areas where the children are.

"Schools where kids aren't doesn't do anyone much good," Moore said.

The DOE is also planning to spend more than $140 million over the next two years on classroom renovations across the the state, Beppu said. The renovations will include interior and exterior painting, new light fixtures, reflooring, and replacing whiteboards and ceiling tiles .

That money will go toward an ongoing, six-year effort to renovate 200 of the state's oldest schools. There are still about 96 schools left to complete, Beppu said.

"The $140 million should cover most of those schools," he said. "We're requesting an additional $30 million (from the Legislature) this year to cover the rest."

Also this week, Lingle submitted to lawmakers her executive budget, which included $100 million in school construction projects for fiscal year 2010 and fiscal year 2011.

But education officials are requesting far more from lawmakers. The DOE is seeking $342 million in 2010 and $289 million in 2011.

Included in the DOE's request to the Legislature is the construction of five new schools in rural areas. But DOE officials say the likelihood that lawmakers will approve money for the construction of new schools is slim.

"The indication so far is that both the Legislators and the executive branch are interested in accelerating the expenditure of funds for projects that can be converted to a contract soon," Moore said. "They're much less interested in the construction of big new buildings."