The state House Education Committee passed a resolution opposing the governor's plan to reduce the Department of Education's current budget by $90 million and replace it with federal stabilization funds.

It was the first instance in which lawmakers took an official position opposing Gov. Linda Lingle's plan for federal stimulus dollars meant for K-12 public schools and the University of Hawai'i.

The resolution comes a day after the governor's aides met with the state Board of Education in a special session to discuss Lingle's plans for some $157 million.

"The governor's proposal ... may well be within the letter of the law, but it's certainly not within the spirit of the stimulus dollars," said Rep. Roy Takumi, D-36th (Pearl City, Momilani, Pacific Palisades), chair of the House Committee on Education.

"It's very clear when you read all of the documentation that the stabilization dollars are meant to boost student achievement," he said.

Schools Superintendent Pat Hamamoto spoke at the committee hearing and asked lawmakers to send the resolution to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.

"The federal legislation and written and verbal guidance from the U.S. Department of Education clearly "indicate"that the funds are to be used in a transparent way to drive education reform," she said.

Rep. Lyla Berg, D-18th (Kuli'ou'ou, Niu Valley, 'Aina Haina), vice chairwoman of the House Education Committee, recently returned from Washington, where she met with U.S. Reps. Neil Abercrombie and Mazie Hirono. Both have alerted Duncan to the situation in Hawai'i.

"He has been alerted that when the application comes through to be cognizant of the details of the plan," Berg said.