Test results show Hawaii public school students improved in math

Results from assessment tests for Hawaii’s public school students showed there was some recovery from learning losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic but that there is still a lot of work to do.

The state Department of Education on Thursday released the annual report for the 2022-2023 academic year, offering insight into the impacts of the pandemic on education.

Test scores in the second full academic year following the start of the pandemic improved for math and held steady for language arts and science, maintaining gains made in the past school year.

In math, 40% of students demonstrated proficiency on state standards, a two-point increase from the previous school year.

Language arts proficiency held at 52%, which was the same as 2022, while science proficiency, at 40%, remained the same.

Tests in math and language arts are administered to students in grades 3 to 8 and in grade 11. Tests in science are administered to students in grades 5 and 8 and to high school biology students.

Some standouts include Kilauea Elementary on Kauai, which exceeded statewide trends and increased proficiency rates across all subjects.

Kilauea Elementary’s scores for language arts increased from the prior school year by 14 points to 62%; scores for math increased by 16 points to 49%; and scores for science increased by 35 points to 67%.

The school’s third-grade literacy level increased by 12 points to 97 %, surpassing statewide averages by 19 points.

The school’s new principal, Fig Mitchell, attributed the success to “a culture of support for staff and students” along with stability among staff members.

She used federal funds to implement a rigorous math curriculum, along with professional development for teachers.

Kaimuki Middle School also recorded increases over the previous year across all subjects and outperformed pre-pandemic scores, with a five-point increase in language arts to 81% proficiency, six-point increase in math to 70% and six-point increase in science to 70%.

Eighth grade literacy levels also increased seven points over the previous year to 93%.

Student attendance is still a major issue, with about 30% of students having been chronically absent, or absent 15 days or more during the 2022-2023 school year. This, however, was a drop from the 2021-22 school year, when 37 % of students were chronically absent.

Pre-pandemic, about 15% of students were chronically absent statewide.

Schools Superintendent Keith Hayashi acknowledged the department still has a lot of work to do but said it was promising to see how Hawaii compares with other states.

DOE said compared with 11 other states that have reported Smarter Balanced Assessment results for the 2022-23 school year, Hawaii is tied with Idaho for the highest proficiency rate in language arts. Hawaii was also one of four states that gained two or more points in math proficiency over the previous year.

“While there is a lot more progress that we want to see for our students and state, Hawaii’s pandemic recovery is continuing at a better pace than many states,” said Hayashi in a statement after results were released. “Our dedicated educators have worked hard to counteract the effects of the pandemic and we will continue to invest in and accelerate the strategies that are positively impacting our students.”

Student absences continue to be a challenge not only in Hawaii, but across the U.S., according to Deputy Superintendent Tammi Chun.

School officials noted a shift in patterns since the pandemic began, with elementary school students rather than upper grades now having the highest levels of chronic absenteeism.

These greater absences may be due to the tendency for more people to stay home when they are sick instead of going to school with runny noses and coughs. But the department is looking into addressing other causes in order to prevent chronic absenteeism.

Hawaii schools switched to remote learning in 2020 during the pandemic emergency, which continued for more than a year before classes resumed in person.

Hayashi said upon returning to in-person learning, the department made a conscious effort to implement four strategic initiatives, including “healthy habits, healthy schools” to keep students safe; data-driven decision making; use of effective academic practices; and offering professional development for teachers and staff, or responsive capacity building.

Schools put forth a tremendous effort in working with students and helping parents, he said, with help from nonprofits and the business community.

Still, he said, recovery from learning loss will take longer than most people expect and that it is not necessarily a 1-to-1 ratio of one year to recover from one year’s loss.

“While we understand the urgency, we also ask for people’s patience because it will take time,” said Hayashi. “I want to assure everyone that our schools are definitely working very hard to help meet the needs of our students.”

The department’s challenges continue to include how to address students’ social, emotional and academic needs, he said, including those who are economically disadvantaged or English language learners.

The Strive HI Performance System report includes results from all public schools, including public charter schools, in Hawaii.

In addition to standardized test scores, the report looks at attendance, graduation and college-going rates, as well as how well schools are reducing the achievement gap between high-needs students and their peers.

The report does not yet reflect revised key performance indicators approved by the Board of Education in its 2023-2029 strategic plan, officials said. Those changes will be reflected in 2024’s report.