Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 27, Number 8, 1 August 2010 — DATA SHOWS HAKIPU'U SCORES HIGH MARKS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

DATA SHOWS HAKIPU'U SCORES HIGH MARKS

Mih the recent news of Hakipu'u Learning Genter facing eviction on July 31, whieh was pending as of I press time, 0HA's Research Line of Business shines a spotlight on the Windward charter school, one of 17 Hawaiian-focused charter schools in the state.

By Kealoha Fox

Ma ka hana ka 'ike (knowing is in the doing) has transcended knowledge and learning beyond the classroom walls to mulhple leaming environments in the Windward community for the students, staff, parents and supporters of Hakipu'u Learning Center New Century Puhlie Charter School (HLC) since 2001. At this start-up puhlie charter school, learning for the fourth- to 12th- graders consists of multifaceted evidence-based instructional models, most notably the project-based approach in whieh classroomlaboratories offer applied leaming environments for its 81 students at cultural sites such as He'eia fishpond, Hakipu'u/Kualoa Regional Park, Waiāhole and Waipao/Ha'ikū lo'i - mauka and makai sites

in the Ko'olaupoko moku. Educational and developmental researchers support activities in project-based learning based on motivation, expertise, contextual factors and technology. Innovative culture-based curriculum grounded in Native Hawaiian values, knowledge, practices, customs and beliefs are central to the foundation of this school and its educational philosophy and mission to

be "rooted in the traditional wisdom of Hawai'i." In these methods, Hakipu'u Learning Center's board of directors and administrators say it "works to insure a close connection with all environments to recognize and facilitate learning everywhere from the home, to the school, to the community," where specifically, "all projects build on the specific interests and educational needs of the student and are required to include a component related to environmental science or Hawaiian eulture. Students are responsible for applying their project work to benefit the community." Hakipu'u's acclaimed Peaee Warriors program has been taught in collaboration with the Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work using culture-based education to give the 'ōpio the skills needed to learn and manage conflict, communication and mediation in peaceful ways. Nearly three-fourths of all Hakipu'u students have transferred there from another Windward school, and the majority of the students and their 'ohana live in the area. Here, administrators and teachers designed a cultural learning structure with students grouped into multi-age, multi-level 'ohana where an adviser and an educational assistant facilitate and monitor eaeh student's personal learning plan through project-based learning. Eaeh 'ohana size is roughly 15 to 16 students. Over the past year, data shows promising and positive statistics for HLC. In 2009, the most recent year for whieh statistics are available, HLC met Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) according to the federal mandate No Child Left Behind. In 20 10, parents and administrators have also seen 100 percent of the school's 12 seniors graduate and enroll in post-secondary education. SEE HIGH MARKS ON PAGE 26

HAKIPU'U DEM0GRAPHIGS 2009-10 school year enrollment: 81 students Kāne: 61% Wāhine: 39% % OF STUDENTS WHO ARE: • OF NATIVE HAWAIIAN ANCESTRY: 80% • CLASSIFIED AS SPECIAL EDUCATION: 25% • QUALIFIED FOR FREE/REDUCED LUNOH: 41% • PARTICIPATING IN WINDWARD COMMUNITY COLLEGE RUNNING START (GRADES 10 AND 11): 61% Sou!ce: Hakipu'u Learning Center Fact Sheet, March20i0

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Hakipu'u Learning Center 2010 graduates recognize all those who supported them with Oli Mahalo. - Photo: Courtesy ofHakipu'u Learning Center

Source: Castle-Kahuku complex data obtained from the Hawai'i Department of Education School Quality Survey Parent Questionnaire 2008; Hakipu'u Learning Center data provided byschool.

HIGH MARKS Continued from page 07

The class of 2009 had a 100 percent graduation rate as well, administrators report. Quantitative survey data for HLC is also promising and speaks to the assets and strengths this charter school holds for its attending families. According to the 2010 'Ohana Feedback Survey conducted in collaboration with Kamehameha Schools and Hawai-ian-focused puhlie charter schools, HLC's parents and caregivers evaluated the school considerably high with 91 percent positive Quality Student Support, 92 percent positive Focused Sustained Action, and 93 percent positive Satisfaction based on HLC shared reports (see graph on page 35). According to the hiennial School Quality Survey, these school qualities are particularly strong when compared to other Department of Education (DOE) schools within the Castle-Kahuku complex, whieh represent the areas from whieh 6 1 percent of HLC students transfer. Another survey tool, the 2009 Nā 'Ōpio: Youth Development and Assets Field-Test Survey, done in collaboration with the Search Institute, Kamehameha Schools, Hawaiian-focused puhlie charter schools and other DOE schools, reveals developmental strengths in the HLC adolescent students. Data provided by

HLC also showed strong parental involvement in their keiki's schooling - 64 percent for students grades 6 to 8 (Search Institute benchmarks averaged 29 percent for sixth- to 12th-graders). Another measurement showed that 63 percent of Hakipu'u's students grades 9 to 12 were engaged in Hawaiian issues. Despite positive gains and strengths experienced by the students for nearly a decade, at the time of this writing, HLC's 2010-2011 school year and future is threatened by the school expected to be evicted from their Windward Community College Hale Mo'oloa building by the state Department of Heahh on July 31. Unfortunately, equitable facilities resources are among some of the major issues facing puhlie start-up charter schools, such as Hakipu'u Learning Center in Hawai'i. Charter schools do not receive funding for grounds, facilities and classrooms and are therefore responsible for finding their own long-term leases and rental spaces, often resulting in exorbitant amounts of dollars to keep these uniquely passionate and eommitted Hawaiian-focused schools open. There are 17 Hawaiian-focused puhlie charter schools located on Kaua'i, O'ahu, Moloka'i and Hawai'i Island serving more than 3,640 students; approximately 90 percent of students served are of Hawaiian ancestry. ■ Keaīoha Fox is a Research Anaīyst in OHA 's Research Line ofBusiness.

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