Kamehameha Schools’ educational outreach ahead of schedule

December 18, 2008

Contributed by Thomas Yoshida

The Schools spent $273 million on its educational programs and collaborations during FY 2008, an increase of 9.2 percent, including $82 million spent on community-based programs. The numbers were released in conjunction with the Schools' annual Founder's Day celebration honoring Bernice Pauahi Bishop, who dedicated her estate to improve the capability and well-being of Native Hawaiians through education.

"We have surpassed the aggressive outreach target we set for the initial three-year ramp-up of our educational outreach," said Dee Jay Mailer, CEO of Kamehameha Schools. "We are extremely proud of the work of the Kamehameha Schools staff and community collaborators who work hard every day to realize Pauahi's vision and offer our ÿohana multiple opportunities to thrive through education."

Kamehameha Schools' Education Strategic Plan strives to create sustainable, intergenerational change by supporting children in three strategic priorities: prenatal to eight-years, grade four through post-high and each of the School's three campuses. The plan, which was approved by Kamehameha Schools' Trustees in 2005, anticipated a ramp-up phase, followed by a four-year evaluation period to assess learner outcomes.

"We found during these past three years, our literacy enhancement programs are having a significant impact on learners. As such, we plan to increase our efforts in the coming year," said Chris Pating, vice president of Strategic Planning & Implementation. "We also learned that our ability to impact Hawaiian learners is directly tied to teacher development, so we'll put more resources toward education and training for teachers in Native Hawaiian communities," Pating added.

Other Education Strategic Plan milestones in FY08 include:

• • More than 10,000 keiki ages 0-8 served through KS center-based preschools, preschool scholarships, literacy instruction and various educational collaborations.
  • Nearly $24 million in pre-school and post-high scholarships.
  • An increase of nearly 48 percent in the number of scholarships to community preschools (1,264 keiki).
  • $9.8 million in per-pupil funding and support for 16 Hawaiian-focused start-up and conversion charter schools with a total of more than 3,278 students.
  • Increased collaboration among the campuses to include instructional innovations to expand student learning; curriculum mapping to ensure that course work is aligned; and program assessment through focused metrics.

Kamehameha Schools is a private, educational, charitable trust founded and endowed by the legacy of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop. Kamehameha Schools operates a statewide educational system serving students of Hawaiian ancestry at K-12 campuses on O'ahu, Maui and Hawaiÿi, 31 preschool sites and through outreach programs, community collaborations and financial aid opportunities in Hawai'i and across the continental United States.