The recently released National Assessment of Educational Progress report cards and annual school progress reports confirms Hawai‘i has made significant gains in improving overall state scores. The number of schools meeting the Adequate Yearly Progress requirement of the No Child
The recently released National Assessment of Educational Progress report cards and annual school progress reports confirms Hawai‘i has made significant gains in improving overall state scores. The number of schools meeting the Adequate Yearly Progress requirement of the No Child Left Behind Act has substantially improved on Kaua‘i as well. Despite these gains, some believe that the law is imposing unrealistic goals on students and places the blame on those working hardest for change — the teachers and administrators.
The NAEP test is administered separately from the Hawai‘i State Assessment test and is not part of the No Child Left Behind Act. NAEP has been administered for over thirty years to a sample of students from every state, in grades four, eight, and 12.
It is used strictly for state-by-state comparisons while serving as a national reference point.
On Kaua‘i, a selection of students from all three middle schools and approximately 70 percent of the elementary schools took the NAEP according to Dr. Robert Hillier, Hawai‘i’s NAEP Coordinator.
The HSA is administered by the state to all public school children in grades three through eight, and also for those in tenth grade.
The assessment illustrates student progress within each individual school and is required by the No Child Left Behind Act. If targeted improvement rates for a given school are not met, a variety of sanctions can be imposed under the law.
Hawai‘i’s students have good reason to be proud. The fourth- and eighth-graders have continued to demonstrate substantial increases in NAEP scale scores for both reading and math, according to the National Center for Educational Statistics.
The average fourth-grade reading scale scores went up from 230 in 2005 to 234 in 2007. Similarly, fourth-grade math scores went up from 210 to 213.
Eighth-graders raised their math scores as well, from 266 in 2005 to 269 in 2007, and their reading scores increased from 249 to 251.
State scores for both the fourth- and eighth-grades have been steadily rising since 1998, with the exception of eighth grade reading when, in 2005, there was a two-point decline. Those points were gained back this year.
The recently released reports illustrate that Kaua‘i has largely met last year’s goals — but under the law, island students have a long way to go.
Hawai‘i students’ scores remain behind the national averages in each grade level and subject area. Eighth-grade math scores in the state are 11 points lower than the national average and their reading scores follow, trailing by 10 points.
Also of concern is the 23 percent of fourth-graders who are still “below basic” levels in math, and the 41 percent who are “below basic” for reading.
The majority of students scored “at or above basic” levels, which, according to the No Child Left Behind Act, is not considered passing. “At or above proficient” or “advanced” is the level to which students must reach to pass the subject matter tested. The majority of our public school students are not meeting this requirement.
In math, only 37 percent of fourth-graders met the proficiency requirement. That number drops to 24 percent for eighth-graders.
In reading, a mere 31 percent of fourth-graders and 21 percent of eighth-graders are considered proficient. That leaves roughly 63 to 79 percent of our students below passing, depending on the grade and subject.
Herbert Watanabe, a Board of Education member, expressed his dissatisfaction with the act.
“If you look at the range of scores that are still below proficient, that is where my concern is,” he says. “Six years is not enough time to reach the 100 percent requirement.”
No Child Left Behind requires all public school children reach 100 percent proficiency in core subjects by the year 2013. The requirement applies to all groups of students, including those who are economically disadvantaged, disabled, a minority — as defined by the U.S. government — and those with limited English proficiency.
Watanabe, a former Kaua‘i vice principal in Kapa‘a, more than 40 years of experience as a teacher and administrator, explained that the issue of English proficiency is an area of great concern in the state given the large numbers of non-English speaking households. He questioned how students with limited English are expected to score proficiently when the test is only offered in English. No Child Left Behind fails to take into account these considerations.
In addition to finding the requirements of the law unrealistic, Watanabe stated that while “the law does challenge our kids — and I see them working very hard — it is placing too much emphasis on the core subjects (math, reading, science).
“In some cases, schools are completely eliminating the study of soft subjects such as music, art (and drama).”
Looking at the previous two years, however, Kaua‘i students and schools are improving. Hanalei Elementary, Kilauea Elementary, Kalaheo Elementary and Ni‘ihau are leading the pack by meeting the Adequate Yearly Progress and maintaining an NCLB status of “good standing,” with no restrictions on how they choose to educate their students.
Eleven other public schools on Kaua‘i did not meet the Adequate Yearly Progress last year and were given varying sanctions. This year, only three schools were put on that list: Kapa‘a Middle School, Kaua‘i High School, and Waimea Canyon elementary and intermediate schools.
The other eight Kaua‘i schools that were facing sanctions have shown improvement as required by the NCLB Act.
Schools not meeting the Adequate Yearly Progress for two consecutive years are required to offer public school choice — giving students the ability to transfer to another public school that is meeting the AYP.
The district is also required to provide transportation for students requesting transfers from failing schools.
The inability of Kaua‘i high and Kapa‘a middle schools to meet the AYP this year has placed them into the NCLB status category of “Planning for Restructuring,” according to the Department of Education. Last year, both schools were listed with a status of “Corrective Action, Year One.” Under the law, these students now have a choice to continue their education elsewhere in the public school system.
Waimea Canyon Elementary and Intermediate has a current status of “Restructuring.” Last year it was “Planning for Restructuring.”
Restructuring, according to the law, requires a fundamental change in governance — meaning a school takeover by state officials or the hiring of a private contractor to implement the changes and run the school.
The law also allows for the possibility of firing teachers, staff and administration at a school that fails to meet the AYP consecutively.
Watanabe expressed his frustration at the sanctions imposed on teachers and administrators.
“I know that teachers are working very hard,” he says. “It’s not right that they face criticism for things [largely beyond their control]. And this applies to the teachers on all the islands.”
• Farah Mongeau is a freelance writer. She can be e-mailed at Kauaiwriter@gmail.com.
