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Hawaii News

Hawaiian education funding up

As part of a push to extend services to more native Hawaiian children statewide, Kamehameha Schools spent $102 million on educational outreach programs last fiscal year, up from $57 million in 2006.

Spending on outreach was up 5 percent from fiscal year 2009.

Altogether, the outreach programs — through school campuses and community groups — served some 45,000 children and their caregivers, according to an annual report for fiscal year 2010 released last week.

About 10 percent of the spending, or $31 million, went to public school programs (from homework centers to summer enrichment programs to after-school help for at-risk youth), compared with $28 million the year before.

"Most people think of our (three) campuses when they see the name Kamehameha Schools," Kamehameha Schools Chief Executive Officer Dee Jay Mailer said. "But what many don’t realize is that we support talented young students in community programs and public schools throughout Hawaii."

Spending on outreach last fiscal year, which ended June 30, included:

» $7.9 million for teacher training and support.

» $12 million in preschool and kindergarten scholarships.

» $12.6 million for native Hawaiians attending college.

» $9.1 million for Hawaiian-focused charter schools.

Kamehameha Schools also continued to expand its literacy instruction initiative, which helps public school students improve their reading skills.

The program is now in 21 schools, eight of which were added last fiscal year.

"What the (Kamehameha Schools) trustees wanted was that children, no matter where they are, would be successful in whatever they choose for their future," said Phyllis Unebasami, literacy program division director. "And we know that literacy for anyone is a gateway for career or college."

In recent years, some have criticized the trust for not doing enough to support the education of all Hawaiian children, not just those who attend its campuses. That criticism, in part, led the trust in 2005 to develop a strategic plan for extending its outreach and helping more native Hawaiian kids.

The $102 million spent for outreach education programs last fiscal year compares with about $129 million spent for programs at the three Kamehameha Schools campuses on Oahu, Maui and the Big Island, a spokeswoman said. Additionally, the trust spent $68 million for major repairs and capital improvement projects, debt financing and other programs.

The spending — $299 million in all — represents about 4 percent of the worth of the Kamehameha Schools endowment, which increased 8 percent last fiscal year, to $7.8 billion from $7.2 billion, the annual report said.

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