National report gives Hawai'i schools low marks
By Jennifer Hiller
Advertiser Education Writer
In yet another slap at Hawai'i's troubled school system, Education Week magazine gave the state low marks for standards and accountablity and improving teacher quality in a national report released today.
In the sixth annual "Quality Counts" report, Education Week said early childhood education rated as a low priority for Hawai'i despite the state's efforts to improve access to preschool for disadvantaged children. The report is used by educators to rate and compare U.S. schools.
Hawai'i's report card
•
Standards and Accountability: D-
•
Improving Teacher Quality: C-
•
Adequacy of Resources: B-
•
Equity of Resources: A
Source: Education Week magazine
There are great disparities across the state in early childhood education for low-income children, the study says. More than 70 percent of children in high-income areas arrive in kindergarten with some preschool experience, but only about 30 percent of kindergartners in low-income areas have attended preschool.
In a rating of other educational measures, Hawai'i continued to rank with mixed results against other states.
Hawai'i's standards and accountability system received the sixth lowest score of the 50 states and District of Columbia. Hawai'i scored 62 out of a possible 100. Maryland scored the highest with a 98, while Minnesota, Wyoming, Nebraska, Montana and Iowa scored lower than Hawai'i.
The Board of Education has developed performance guidelines, which measure how well students have mastered what they are supposed to know and do, followed by reformed benchmarks to see if those standards are being met. But the standards and accountability system is still in its infancy stage in this state.
Department of Education officials took issue with the state's D- score on standards and accountability. The state's progress in planning a system of testing and accountability was not considered by the report, although the DOE plans to implement a Hawai'i based standardized test this year. "We've made tremendous progress in the area of standards," said Greg Knudsen, DOE spokesman.
The state did receive an A in equity of resources. It is the only statewide system of education in the country.
Hawai'i received a C- for improving teacher quality, a category which rated teacher education, professional support and training and the average salary of teachers. The study also noted that Hawai'i ranks among the lowest in the nation on teachers salaries when cost of living is considered.
Spending of an average of $6,409 per student each year, Hawai'i rated a B- against the other states. New Jersey was the highest, spending more than $9,300 per student.
On the issue of school safety, 93 percent of fourth-graders and 88 percent of eighth-graders reported feeling safe in school, but 45 percent of eighth-graders attend schools where a school officials reports that physical conflicts are a serious or moderate problem.
Reach Jennifer Hiller at jhiller@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8084.
