Good for the state Department of Education. Its new method of evaluating schools and the progress of their students is potentially a big step forward for academics in Hawai’i. The 2000-01 school year, which began this week for some Kaua’i
Good for the state Department of Education. Its new method of evaluating schools and the progress of their students is potentially a big step forward for academics in Hawai’i.
The 2000-01 school year, which began this week for some Kaua’i students, is the starting point for the content and performance standards program. Next April, pupils in third, fifth, eighth and 10th grades will take a test to measure their learning. Schools where students aren’t up to par will face sanctions, including mandatory retraining of teachers.
It’s one thing to say that students are advancing. It’s another to prove it. The new tests can make it easier to show what the educational system is doing right and where it’s falling short. As one school official told The Garden Island, “Accountability is not just a word any more.” The Legislature is backing the new standards with funds for the program. Also coming from an $18 million allotment is money for professional development of teachers and their aides—a key, along with willing pupils and supportive parents, to giving educators the ability to help students achieve what the state standards expect.
Improving education can be expensive, but in this case, the price is right. So far, the process is, too.
