In 2023, the value of a college education is being questioned. Because information is readily available, we Google what we want to know, type a query or phrase into ChatGPT, press the enter key, and then a multitude of answers become accessible. However, in this age of technology, online access, and Artificial Intelligence, could self-directed…

In K-12 education, student voice is not often considered when establishing curriculum, addressing school policy, or creating a climate that reflects culturally inclusive teaching practices. Across education systems serving Indigenous communities within the United States, the voices of youth as a form of contribution are silenced, which echoes…

As of 2022, more than 400 students serve as members of state boards of education or state advisory councils in 33 states. Over the last five years, eight states have added at least one student member on their board, a state student advisory council, or a combination of board membership and advisory council. Although the number of students engaged…

While reflecting on her own educational experiences, author Beth Taone discusses how she came up with an educational philosophy called Tri-Excellence. Taone believes that students will only be able to succeed in school if three things are in place--Student Excellence + Teacher Excellence + Family/Community Excellence. Here she describes…

The 2030 Promise Plan is shaped by the ideas, experiences, and expertise of nearly 2,800 Hawai'i stakeholders who responded to the call for equity, excellence and innovation in public schools. Feedback gathered during Board of Education (BOE) meetings and community meetings over the past two years is also reflected. This plan frames collective…

This article explores the efforts of Native Hawaiian students to appropriate and take control of their schooling as part of a broad Indigenous story of empowerment during Hawai'i's territorial years (1900-1959). Histories of this era lack a visible Indigenous presence and contribute to the myth that Natives passively accepted the Americanization…

Formal education--four walled classrooms with a single teacher and multiple children in a school setting--did not exist in traditional Hawai'i. Traditional Hawaiian learning resembled contemporary vocational schools or specialized institutions of higher learning. Within these structures, Hawaiians became strongly rooted in cultural and familial…

This governing document for the public education system in Hawai'i provides a common foundation of expectations and supports for public education, centering on closing the achievement gap to ensure equity and excellence for each student. The Strategic Plan is a compact between the Board of Education (BoE), the Department of Education (DoE), and…