Legislative Findings and Intent

I Liheslaturan Guåhan finds that creating the best public school education is the responsibility of the entire community. This means not only parents and educators, but also businesses, community groups, associations, philanthropists and citizens. Currently, the Department of Education is authorized to receive monetary donations, which are promptly deposited into the Every Child is Entitled to an Adequate Education Fund (Fund). The provisions of the existing Fund are too restrictive in regards to how private contributions to the Department of Education can be utilized, therefore a mechanism needs to be put in place to more efficiently handle such contributions. In many communities, public education foundations serve as a conduit between schools and communities, often funding projects that fall outside the scope of the schools’ operating budgets. The missions of these public education foundations are to mobilize regional and community resources to support and impact public education through initiatives, programs, and practices designed to improve student performance and advance quality educational opportunities for all children. It is, therefore, the intent of I Liheslaturan Guåhan, that a separate mechanism, one that would promote the improvement of the general welfare of public education on Guam inclusive of philanthropic and COL 110609 CH. 13 FOUNDATION FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION A CT OF 2009 community service endeavors, must be established. This can be accomplished with the creation of a “Foundation for Public Education”.