A little over a year ago, leaders from Kamehameha Schools and the University of Hawaiʻi put pen to paper to formalize a partnership that would boost post-high educational success of Native Hawaiians. The partnership, called Hui Hoʻopili ʻĀina (HHA), aimed at increasing Hawaiian student success at the post-secondary level while advancing Hawaiian culture, language and knowledge.

This progress report provides a look at the HHA partnership and the work accomplished over the past year since the agreement was signed by UH and KS.

Momentum continues to increase for both UH and KS as they enter year two of their formal collaboration aimed to increase student success for Native Hawaiians across the paeʻāina. Through inventive, innovative and collaborative efforts from both institutions, HHA has established itself as a model of excellence to aspire to with organizations and institutions dedicated to ensure a thriving lāhui.

The partnership is organized around three themes: Native Hawaiian Student Success, Sustainability/Mālama Honua, and ‘Ike Hawai’i. Within those themes are six work group areas.

Financial Aid and Persistence
Makalapua Naʻauao is a process improvement pilot which seeks to mitigate key barriers that deter post-secondary completion of financial aid recipients. The pilot is comprised of 145 Native Hawaiian college freshmen and sophomores, aligns co-funding opportunities, ensures four years of consistent funding and offers direct and timely counseling support using a cohort approach. Both organizations are collaborating to explore inventive funding packages, student supports and improvement to facilitate quick learning and constant improvement. This four-year Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was executed in June, 2016 and kicked off with a place-based leadership orientation in August, 2016 – created uniquely for the Makalapua Naʻauao scholars.

Early College
Early college has been a focus at KS and work continues to take the concept beyond KS – increasing post-high attainment opportunities for Native Hawaiians across the state. The work group kicked-off of the Mānoa Academy this year which included a six-credit pilot summer program led jointly by UH Mānoa’s College of Social Sciences and KS Kapālama. Having done early college courses for over 10 years at KS Maui, KS continues to explore ways in which it can help to expand early college course offerings in charter schools as well.

ʻIke Hawaiʻi
The work continues to realize a future where ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi grounds, normalizes and amplifies Hawaiian knowledge, culture and leadership excellence. To reach this vision, the group will focus on ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi by advancing ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi expectations, actualizing a Hawaiian speaking workforce, amplifying access and support and achieving normalization of ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi. Ninety representatives representing KS and UH campuses convened for its first ʻaha this year. Their work included setting goals, forming committees and assessing resources needs that articulated ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi pathways to accelerate quality ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi learning from high school through college.

Living Learning Labs
The Living Learning Labs (LLL) work group collaborates to create opportunities for ʻāina-based, experiential learning. Most recently, four proposals offered by this group to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress were accepted as part of the “Conservation Campus” that was offered as a blend of field experiences and online learning.Of the four, BIOL 124: Environment and Ecology (Led by KS Kapālama science teacher, Rob Hutchinson), BIOL 200: Coral Reefs (Led by Windward Community College’s Dave Krupp) and AQUA 201 Hawaiian Fishponds led by WCC’s Leonard Young received P20 funding to support the development of their online curriculum. Students representing KS, Le Jardin and Samuel M. Kamakau Public Charter School were able to get early college credit and international participants were also able to take part in this unique opportunity.

Mōʻiliʻili (Kapaʻakea)
The work in Mōʻiliʻili includes educational programming which aims to increase student enrollment, persistence and graduation from local universities. Collaborative programming in Mōʻiliʻili can support student persistence and graduation through an Innovation Hub and a Native Hawaiian Student Services Center/Native Hawaiian Collaboratory and pilot learning site which will open this fall.

Support Center: Data Sharing
Gathering current data helps all work with the HHA partnership better understand student pathways, barriers and successes. UH published the 2014-2015 Native Hawaiian Scorecard which outlined the progress, persistence and graduation of Native Hawaiian learners at each UH campus. A 2015-2016 scorecard is slated for early 2017. New, innovating data collecting options will inform next steps in paving the way for more strategic and aligned research and inquiry between KS and UH.

STRATEGIC PLAN 2020
SP2020 is a five-year strategic plan that will guide Kamehameha Schools from 2015 to 2020. The plan marks a starting point toward KS’ Vision 2040, which envisions success for all Native Hawaiian learners.

The KS-UH partnership aligns with Goal 4 of SP2020, which mandates the execution of a high-performing, mission-driven, Native Hawaiian organization with strong leadership, efficient processes and systems and successful strategic partnerships. KS is leveraging community partnerships to improve educational systems for Native Hawaiians through a shared agenda for statewide partnerships according to Action 4 for fiscal year 2016-2017.

Leaders from KS and UH gathered for a signing ceremony in September 2015 to formalize a partnership with a shared goal of furthering Native Hawaiian post-secondary success.

KS UH with a $1.18 million check in July 2016, the first of four donations, to fund the Makalapua Naʻauao scholarship program.

Mānoa Academy students earned college credits in English and political science during KS Kapālama summer school. English kumu Ka‘imi Kaiwi (top, center) helped haumāna bridge their learning experience to align with college-level expectations.

Students from KSK, Samuel M. Kamakau Public Charter School and Le Jardin Academy took part in the World Conservation Congress Conservation Campus this month. Tuition for all eight students was provided by KS and its Living Learning Labs initiative led by UH’s Carl Evensen and KS’ Brandon Ledward and Pia Chock.

KS and UH partners involved in Project ʻOlonā and Hālau Pā collaborations come together at Mauna ‘Ala to launch the exciting, new three-year STEM initiative.

Related articles

• September 09, 2015 KS partners with UH to boost post-high educational success of Native Hawaiians
• July 26, 2016 KS and UH launch four-year scholarship program for Native Hawaiian students
• July 22, 2016 Mānoa Academy provides dual-credit opportunity for KS Kapālama students
• March 20, 2016 Dual credit courses aim to improve student post-secondary success rates
• October 01, 2015 KS/UH partnership supports STEM innovation and entrepreneurship

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strategic plan,16-17action4,early college,college,moiliili,aina-based education,campus,hui hoopili aina,sp2020

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Kaipuolono Article, Newsroom, Strategic Plan

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