Public schools challenged to build on success

Hawaii’s remarkable turnaround in the federal Race to the Top initiative is a well-deserved point of pride for the public school system, especially for the teachers who have driven classroom-level improvements. But amid the celebratory congratulations, educators rightly acknowledge the grave challenges that lie ahead when the $75 million in federal funding runs out.

Race to the Top was never intended to be a short-term fix, but rather a catalyst to long-term, sustainable reform, which in Hawaii includes overhauling the lowest-performing schools, boosting student achievement and improving teacher and principal effectiveness. The state’s plan rightly raises expectations for students, teachers and administrators at all public schools — the first step to improving student performance, which, in turn, will increase public confidence in our schools.

This is no small consideration in a state where about 15 percent of all students attend private schools, among the highest rate in the United States. Persuading middle-class parents, who are sacrificing mightily to pay tuition, that their children could thrive just as well in a tuition-free public setting is vital to achieving the Department of Education’s goal of graduating college- or career-ready young men and women. The best way to boost confidence is to succeed.

Three years into the four-year grant, DOE officials have a good idea which strategies are working, what’s too expensive to roll out on a broad scale and what is feasible to implement statewide. It is incumbent on the state Legislature and Gov. Neil Abercrombie, therefore, to designate state funding for the Race to the Top programs that have already borne fruit, such as intensive pre-kindergarten programs in low-income, rural areas of the neighbor islands. Likewise, the DOE and the Hawaii State Teachers Association must collaborate fully on implementing the controversial, data-driven teacher evaluation system that is a linchpin to improving the quality of instruction.

After a rocky start that saw its grant status threatened, Hawaii is now lauded as a national model. Among Hawaii’s highlights, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s third-year progress report:

» Higher student scores on standardized tests and broader access to rigorous courses, such as Advanced Placement classes. Fourth- and eighth-graders improved in math and reading on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, known as the Nation’s Report Card; fourth-graders surpassed the national average in math for the first time. Reading scores remained below average.

» Major progress toward performance-based teacher evaluations, which will be broadly implemented this fall; personnel decisions including pay raises, tenure and termination will be tied to the evaluations.

» A transition to the Common Core curriculum, with its national academic standards. The DOE has approved a Common Core-aligned curriculum for language arts, but has yet to achieve this goal for math.

» A major focus on turning around low-achieving schools, especially in poor, rural areas, with financial and other support from corporations, nonprofits, private educational institutions and other community partners.

The inspiration for much of this progress predates the Race to the Top, and the hard work that remains must be accomplished largely without federal funding; Hawaii has spent about $57 million of its grant.

Still, there’s no doubt that Race to the Top was the catalyst Hawaii’s public schools needed. It is encouraging to see the DOE fulfill its promises, and, in doing so, more fully live up to its mission.