Most Hawaii Island schools made improvements last year, but achievement as a whole still trailed behind the rest of the state.
That’s according to the latest results from Hawaii’s Strive HI Performance System that tracks school performance and progress and includes math, reading and science test scores. Strive HI also tracks other indicators including graduation rates, college enrollment and chronic absenteeism — defined as the number of students who miss at least 15 days of school in a year.
Schools in the Honokaa-Kealakehe-Kohala-Konawaena Complex Area showed the most year-over-year growth in test scores, with nearly three-fourths of scores improving from the year prior. Hilo-Waiakea Complex Area schools achieved higher average scores than any other complex area in the state.
Ka‘u-Keaau-Pahoa Complex Area schools and public charter schools earned lower scores than the island’s overall averages. Islandwide, more than 60 percent of scores in math, science and English language arts improved — or remained the same — from the 2014-15 school year.
“We are happy our science scores improved but still not happy with 23 percent,” said Dean Cevallos, principal of Keaau High School, referring to the 23 percent of Keaau students who scored proficient in science, up from 13 percent the year prior. “Our math and English language arts scores went down, so of course that’s not good. We believe it might have been (because) we didn’t test in the classrooms last year. We sent students to a computer lab (to test) and we don’t think that assisted our kids at all.
“That’s not an excuse, scores shouldn’t have gone down, but the environment really did kind of upset our kids. I’m not pleased with what we have but we want to be transparent with our community and let them know that we will improve.”
Kalima Cayir, education director of the Volcano School of Arts &Sciences, where achievement overall dropped in reading and science but math scores remained the same, said she also wants to see the public charter school’s scores improve next year.
Volcano doesn’t “teach to the test,” Cayir said, and state assessment data is “one of many measures” used to gauge student performance.
However, test data can be useful in assessing how well Common Core Standards are being implemented, she said.
“We’re looking at lots of data, that test is only one, but it’s still a valuable one,” Cayir said.
“We don’t need to be at the top, but (scores) are an indicator of Common Core Standards somewhat … and yes, we’ll analyze that data as a performance indicator of implementing those standards,” she said.
E.B. de Silva Elementary School performed among the highest in the state in English language arts for the second consecutive year. Results show 78 percent of E.B. de Silva students scored at or above proficient — a 7 percent improvement from last year and well above the 53 percent statewide average for elementary students. E.B. de Silva students also scored above state averages in math and science standards and the elementary school reduced its chronic absenteeism rate to 5 percent. Statewide, the chronic absenteeism rate averaged 13 percent.
E.B. de Silva Principal Dennis O’Brien said improvement was encouraging and he was pleased to see the chronic absenteeism rate drop, which he said has been “front and center” in the school’s recent improvement efforts. O’Brien said he calls the parents of every child with at least five absences.
He attributes scores to a “close working relationship with the vast majority of our parents,” but said he wants to see math scores rise.
“We know math is a national and statewide need and we need to improve,” he said. “They did well but we’re not satisfied. We want them to do better.”
Haaheo, Kapiolani and Hookena elementary schools also are among the schools that showed the most improvement in the state in English language arts and/or math.
Innovations Public Charter School, Kalanianaole Elementary and Intermediate School, Waikoloa Elementary and Middle School, West Hawaii Explorations Academy and Hawaii Academy of the Arts and Sciences were noted for reducing their chronic absenteeism rates.
Hilo-area schools overall averaged 13.8 percent chronic absenteeism — the lowest on the island — followed by West Hawaii schools at 18.9 percent. Puna and Ka‘u schools’ chronic absenteeism rates averaged 31.33 percent.
Cevallos said at least part of that higher rate probably stems from issues out of the complex area’s control.
For example, rural roads in the Puna area might flood with heavy rain, hampering transportation to school, he said. Daily attendance at Keaau High hovers near 92 percent, he added.
“Ninety-two percent of our students show up every day,” Cevallos said. “So, for the most part, our kids want to be here.”
Email Kirsten Johnson at kjohnson@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
