Gov. Linda Lingle today called for an end to teacher furloughs starting in January by tapping the state's rainy day fund and converting non-instructional days to classroom time.

Lingle's proposal would cancel 27 furlough days between January and June 2011. The seven furlough days that started in October and run until the end of the year would remain.
Lingle's call to use the rainy day fund requires approval by the state Legislature. She said she would wait to hear if there is consensus among House and Senate leaders about a special session. Otherwise, she said her plan could be acted on at the start of the next session in January.
The governor's recommendation to convert non-instructional days to classroom time requires reopening contract talks with the Hawaii State Teachers Association.
Lingle had previously opposed using special fund money to reduce teacher furloughs, but said she changed her position while watching the debate unfold from afar during her recent trip to China.
"It's raining on the kids now," she told reporters at the state Capitol. "It's a perfect time for the rainy day fund to be used."
Lingle would eliminate 15 furloughs days by converting non-instructional days and 12 furlough days by taking about $50 million from the rainy day fund.
The state and the teachers union had agreed to a new two-year contract in September that called for 17 furlough days a year for teachers on 10-month schedules and 21 furlough days a year for teachers on 12-month schedules.
All of the furlough days were scheduled during classroom time on Fridays, leading to complaints from parents and a rebuke from U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.
Lingle said her proposal was not in response to Duncan's criticism. The governor called Duncan's comments "blatantly political" and suggested he stay out of local affairs.
Wil Okabe, the president of the teachers union, said he was pleased the governor wants to use the rainy day fund and suggested the union would return to the negotiating table.
"If there ever was a rainy day for Hawaii's public education system, this is it," he said in a statement. "We believe the governor's proposal represents the kind of viable option we said would be necessary for us to return to the negotiating table.
"HSTA is committed to finding a solution for resolving the problem of furloughs that will be best for our students and teachers and will improve Hawaii's chances to succeed in the competition for Race to the Top grant funds."