The teachers and school officials, many of whom are Native American, Alaska Native or Native Hawaiian, are gathering to discuss problems facing indigenous students and ways to raise the bar of achievement in those communities.

Among the issues being addressed are high dropout rates of native students, indigenous language in the classroom, literacy rates, the federal No Child Left Behind law and college enrollment rates.

Speakers at this morning's opening session included Office of Hawaiian Affairs chairwoman Haunani Apoliona, NIEA President and local educator Verlieann Malina-Wright and National Education Association President Reg Weaver.