EXCUSED:
Shanty Asher

ALSO PRESENT:
Kyla Musso, Student Representative
Keith Hayashi, Interim Superintendent, Department of Education
Disa Hauge, Interim Complex Area Superintendent, Nanakuli-Waianae Complex Area, Department of Education
Ray Pikelny-Cook, Principal, Waianae High School, Department of Education
Alison Kunishige, Executive Director
Kenyon Tam, Board Analyst
Regina Pascua, Executive Secretary
Lady Garrett, Secretary

1. Call to Order

II. Approval of Meeting Minutes of November 18, 2021

Committee Chairperson Namauʻu called for public testimony on this agenda item. No one provided oral testimony at this time.

Committee Chairperson Namauʻu asked Committee members to review the minutes of the Committee’s November 18, 2021 meeting.

Committee Vice Chairperson Bill Arakaki moved to approve the Committee’s meeting minutes of November 18, 2021. Committee Member Kaimana Barcarse seconded.

Committee Chairperson Namauʻu asked if there were any objections to the motion. No Committee member raised objections and the motion carried through unanimous consent from all members present (Committee Vice Chairperson Arakaki, Committee Members Barcarse, Lyla Berg, Lynn Fallin, Catherine Payne, and Kenneth Uemura).

ACTION: Motion to approve the Student Achievement Committee meeting minutes of November 18, 2021 (Arakaki/Barcarse). The motion carried through unanimous consent from all members present.

III. Discussion Items

1. Presentation on student academic status for the 2021-2022 school year: data and analysis of middle and high school quarterly grades and on-track high school graduation

Cheri Nakamura, HE‘E Coalition, posed several questions, including why there was no comparison of the last year’s first quarter data with this year’s data; what the Department believes are the root causes of failing grades or students not being on-track for graduation; whether the Department can identify the strategies that had the most impact; whether the smarter balanced assessment data for both the Nanakuli and Waianae complex areas show any upward or downward trends.

Susan Pcola-Davis, member of the public, asked whether the note under page 2 of the Department’s presentation, which states, “some students are counted in more than one category,” could lead to inflating or deflating percentages. She also asked what the Department is going to do differently in the second quarter to decrease the number of students with one or more failing grades.

Committee Chairperson Namauʻu called on Keith Hayashi, Interim Superintendent, to present an analysis of the quarterly grades and on-track high school graduation data for middle and high schools for the 2021-2022 school year.

Hayashi outlined that the high school on-track data provides valuable information and the Department disaggregated the data by subgroups so it can assess progress. He stated that page 3 provides information on middle school students who have received one failing grade; course grades indicate which students are meeting expectations. Hayashi stated that teachers grading students are the best measure of student progress. He stated that the Department disaggregated data by different subgroups, high-needs, Title I, disabilities and economically disadvantaged students, so students who fall into more than one subgroup may be counted multiple times.

Hayashi stated that the Department presented data in Table 2 data by race and ethnicity. He stated that certain subgroups have a lower percentage, but the data is only quarter marks that serve as a progress report. Hayashi explained that students still have the opportunity to pass. He stated that Table 4 and 5 show high school on-track data, including the sum of credits earned and what is pending for each grade level to be considered on-track for graduation. Hayashi stated that the personal transition plan process might affect the accuracy of on-track graduation data. He stated that 81% of the high-needs sub group on on-track to graduate.

Disa Hauge, Interim Complex Area Superintendent (“CAS”), Nanakuli-Waianae Complex Area, stated that she has been serving as interim CAS since November 2020 and has spent her entire career in this complex. She stated that she understands the challenges schools face and has been working towards increasing educational opportunities and will share how data has driven school and complex area decisions regarding teaching and learning.

Hauge stated that the people of the Waianae-Nanakuli complex value family, care about their children’s future, and includes a large Native Hawaiian community. She shared that the course marks and graduation rates of students show that they are progressing and noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected families, students, and staff.

Hauge explained that schools identify students for intervention and the Waianae complex has the highest rates of failing marks, which shows that students did not learn as much as they needed to learn. She stated that elementary students suffered the greatest setback and noted that for Kindergarten to Grade 1, the complex area spent money on library based resource programs and inclusion coaches in every school to ensure there is an opportunity for students to receive the same instruction.

Hauge stated that the complex area focused on reading and common formative assessments across both the Waianae and Nanakuli complexes to share strategies to build systems and organize meetings to discuss how students are doing on standards. She stated that English language arts (“ELA”) coaches meet monthly with school staff to operationalize and plan the direction or next steps for each school. Hauge also stated that resource teachers meet with inclusion coaches monthly to review data and problem solve.

Hauge stated that reopening school has been hard on students and staff and the complex area is creating a system in which data drives interventions. She explained that the new system would use formative assessments to provide teachers with exact strategies to address student.

Hauge stated that that the complex area’s low was in 2013, when they identified 69% of students were not on-track to graduate. She stated that the schools put engagement opportunities for students in place so students understand what school is about and how it relates to them. Hauge stated that school is the place for students to develop and that the complex area needs to look at tracking vulnerable students, so it can assist these students with a transition into a stable adulthood where they can care for themselves independently.

Hauge explained that there is an internship program to help these students work in the community and will provide students with credits towards graduation. She stated that students’ smarter balanced assessment scores are not where the complex area would like them to be and that a contributing factor is the high teacher turnover rate. Hauge expressed appreciation for the teacher differential bonus. She explained that the complex area deals with chronic absenteeism, trauma from losing family members during the COVID-19 pandemic, kindergarten readiness, and houselessness. Hague explained that all of these things make it difficult to assess true student mastery of subject matter, especially when there is little reward for test taking.

Hauge noted that students need to take the smarter balanced assessment seriously and that the assessment can provide key data. She shared that the complex area received support from the state office when schools reopened. Hague stated that the complex area’s schools were understaffed and employees began burning out, so the Department’s leadership sent state office staff out to the complex area for the month of September to help understaffed schools. She stated that the assistance from the state office helped to build the relationship between state leadership and schools because everyone was working together for the students.

Ray Pikelny-Cook, Waianae High School, Principal, stated that it returning to in-person learning has been challenging. She recognized that the rate of failing grades is not where the school wants to be and pointed to attendance as a major contributing factor because it has been difficult getting students back to school. Pikelny-Cook explained a limited number of students are using the virtual platform and that students coming to school in-person have been more successful because the school can target specific skills. She expressed surprise at how much students fell behind during the past year and a half, particularly in academics and socialization.

Pikelny-Cook stated that for most students, in-person learning is the instructional model that works best. She explained that because deficits have grown larger, the school creates small groups to assess the needs of students using standards based grading and comparing this information against national data. Pikelny-Cook stated that in 2015 the Department moved to a point system so schools could assess students on a specific skill.

Pikelny-Cook explained that Waianae High School is on a four block schedule which allows students 32 opportunities to receive the required 24 credits to graduate and if students are falling behind there are opportunities for students to catch up by taking preparatory courses. She explained that Waianae High School calls these preparatory courses workshops and that the school designed these courses to prepare students for the actual reading or math credit course. Pikelny-Cook stated that the complex offers transition programs between middle and high school where administrators from different schools meet at the end of the school year to discuss all students, existing supports, and which supports should carry over. Pikelny-Cook noted that these discussions help administrators to understand who the students are and how to capitalize on many points to connect students to the school.

Pikelny-Cook outlined some challenges at Waianae High School, including attendance and teacher retention rates. She stated that high teacher turnover is an issue because the school needs to hire new teachers and then provide instruction and professional development to them. Pikelny-Cook stated that new teachers receive new teacher professional development each week and school-wide data to focus on ELA, math, and science to align skill sets to where the Department wants to see students when they graduate. She also explained that schools use these meetings to share across content areas, which can be challenging to plan, and support content area standards based on data and instruction.

Pikelny-Cook stated that the school is using teacher created assessments as well as nationally vetted assessments to look at what other states are using. She stated that she is empowering staff to provide input on because it will contribute to student success. Pikelny-Cook noted that some students admit that college is not what they want or plan for and some students have plans that change from year to year. Pikelny-Cook stated that being able to work with other principals is helpful as she grows as a leader and makes her feel like she is contributing in a positive way.

Hayashi stated that personalizing learning and building trusting relationships with students is important and clearly is making a difference in this complex area. Hayashi noted that the complex area has effectively implemented multiple systems and the commitment of school and complex area staff is inspiring and is an example of practices and strategies the Department is implementing.

Committee Chairperson Namauʻu expressed appreciation for the presentation and stated that she can see how difficult it has been on schools dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. She stated that she hopes the Department can create systems of support, like the ones at Wheeler Middle School, which the Department presented on at the previous Committee meeting where the school created time for teachers to collaborate. Committee Chairperson Namauʻu encouraged the Pikelny-Cook to continue the collaborative work that will help students to move forward. Committee Chairperson Namauʻu asked about the behavior data on page 2.

Pikelny-Cook explained that the school has been focusing on getting trauma informed professional development and working on building and sustaining relationships. She stated that the school focuses on how it can repair its relationships with students when relationships break. Pikelny-Cook stated that the emphasis is on school-wide positive behavior interventions and supports. She noted that the school is looking to engage with students so that they feel comfortable and safe coming to school.

Pikelny-Cook stated that the professional development training includes discussions with parents on ways the school can support the family. She stated that the entire complex did this and shared that as an elementary principal she remembers over 1,400 incidents in the first year. Pikelny-Cook stated that supporting the Hawaii Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (“HMTSS”) changed how administrators responded to what was happening in schools and shifted the focus to restorative justice.

Hauge stated that connection is key and students need to trust school leaders. She explained that the complex area started with trauma informed practices and professional development. She explained that the complex area is looking forward to receiving federal funds to develop of a team of social workers that will support families.

Hauge noted many teachers do not live in the community and that teacher differentials for hard-to-staff areas helps to address the teacher shortage. She noted that partners such as University of Hawaii, West Oahu and Leeward Community College are helping to develop homegrown teachers and support educational assistants so that they can become special education teachers. Hauge stated that because students were out of school for so long, students needed to reestablish the pecking order on campus and understand that adults can help mediate.

Committee Chairperson Namauʻu encouraged the complex area to build upon the foundation it has built and that if teacher differentials has made a difference for the community, they should let legislators know how the differentials help the teachers and administrators in the community.

Committee Member Fallin expressed appreciation for hearing from administrators in the field. She asked about how the Board can create systems of support, how the Board knows how students are doing, and how to systematize continuous improvement. Committee Member Fallin acknowledged the hard work and efforts going on because building relationships comes from aloha and support and she expressed appreciation for the description on how to use data and decisions to impact students' lives and learning.

Committee Member Fallin asked for clarification on the definition of success and how do you know as a school, complex area superintendent, or state office when you are successful. Pikelny-Cook talked about national standards based on grades, use of state averages, and behavioral descriptions of data with increase or decrease.

Committee Member Fallin asked how does the complex area or state office determine whether a struggling school has a process in place that focuses on improvement or whether every school have an instructional coach of some kind.

Hauge replied that success for the complex area is for its state metric indicators to be the same as national metrics. She also stated that the school cannot wait for the end of the school year for metrics because the school needs to know each week how students are doing and each quarter how the majority of students are doing. Hauge shared that when she would drive to work, she would see students walking to school without any backpacks. She stated that the complex area is working on systems of support that will use data to identify complex needs, make sure students understand relationships, and ensure they know that they can make mistakes.

Hauge explained that assessments help students by providing feedback on comprehension on the expected metrics in each discipline. She stated that success is when students exit school as competent, caring citizens who are able to contribute to their community.

Committee Member Payne noted that these stories and experiences make it clear to her that Hauge and Pikelny-Cook are providing the leadership that is necessary for this community. She noted that the struggles have existed for a long time and the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated them.

Committee Vice Chairperson Arakaki stated that the Waianae and Nanakuli complexes have developed a playbook based on leadership. Committee Vice Chairperson Arakaki commended the complex for identifying which skills students need so they can compete in the world and noted the importance of the focus on literacy expanding to every content area, which every school can use.

Committee Member Uemura asked how the Department interprets the data from a Board perspective to understand how the Board can ascertain whether schools are successful. He asked how the statewide data compares to what is going on nationally. Committee Member Uemura asked what is the Department’s plan to help students who not on-track to graduate. He stated that states have 100% graduation rates and asked whether the Department’s goal is to get to a 100% graduation rate or if they Department’s goal is to stay at an 81% graduation rate. He stated that the previous strategic plan had a 90% on-track graduation rate target and the Board will need to look at this and determine its priorities.

Hayashi stated that the ultimate goal is 100% of students on-track for graduation. He stated that it is hard to compare to other states because high school graduation requirements it differs between states. Hayashi stated that the data is for first quarter grades and schools look at the data to personalize supports to the needs of students and get an idea of what is happening at schools. He stated that complex area superintendents are able to monitor grades at their level and explained that teachers get together to share effective practices.

Committee Member Uemura stated that he would like to gain an understanding from a Board perspective on whether the data the Department is presenting shows upward or downward trends. He stated that everyone agrees that teachers, schools, and complex areas are interacting and working hard, but the Department needs to give the Board an indication of what this first quarter data is telling us and what direction the system is going in, upwards or downwards. Committee Member Uemura stated that everyone is responsible for getting student achievement up. He stated that the Department can answer these questions offline, but he wanted to make sure to raise it at a meeting.

IV. Late Public Testimony on Board Agenda Items

Committee Chairperson Namauʻu called for public testimony from any individuals who did not have an opportunity to testify on earlier agenda items.

Linda Elento, member of the public, testified on agenda item III.A on the student academic status for the 2021-2022 school year. She described an example of a parent asking a teacher to help a failing student and stated that she would like to see programs for our students with disabilities that have behavior issues because this expertise needs to be accessible.

Committee members received written testimony before the meeting. The following is a listing of the people who submitted written testimony before the meeting.

V. Adjournment

Committee Chairperson Namauʻu adjourned the meeting at 11:03 a.m.