DOE Urges Families to Complete ‘Impact Aid’ Survey

Public school students on the Big Island and throughout the state went home with a United States Department of Education Federal Survey Card on Wednesday.

The survey cards are part of the Hawai’i State Department of Education’s qualification for a partial reimbursement for educating federally connected students. Federally connected students include those who have parents that work or live on federal property.

“Impact Aid funds are extremely important to support our public schools and help to improve quality education for our students,” said Kathryn Matayoshi, HIDOE Superintendent. “During the 2014-15 school year, the state accounted for more than 23,000 federally connected students and received more than $27 million in Impact Aid funding.  We ask all parents for their cooperation to complete these important surveys.”

The program was created to help school districts that lose tax revenues due to a federal presence. Impact Aid funds go to local school districts, like property taxes, and can be used to hire teachers, purchase textbooks and computers, and pay utilities.