Maui’s Baldwin and ʻĪao School Improve in Latest Strive HI Results

Baldwin High School (top) and ʻĪao Intermediate (bottom). Photos by Wendy Osher.

Baldwin High School and ʻĪao Intermediate School on Maui were among a list of 20 campuses in the state that improved from “Focus” status to “Continuous Improvement,” according to new results released by the state Department of Education.

DOE officials say this was achieved by improving their index scores and/or reducing their achievement gap by half. According to the department assessment, “Focus” schools received targeted resources to “turn around persistently low-performing schools.”

The updated 2014-15 Strive HI Performance System results were released and detailed today by the state Department of Education.

The results also show an increase in the number of high performing public schools and public charter schools.

Under the Strive HI Performance System, schools are evaluated based on their performance across four areas including: Achievement, Growth, Readiness, and the Achievement Gap.

Other Maui related highlights of the reports include:

• Maui’s Kīhei Charter School was identified as the top scoring school for 11th Grade ACT scores with a 75% score, the highest in the state.  It also made the list for most improved in the same category, going from 55% in 2014 to 75 in 2015.  Other Maui schools on the most improved list for 11th Grade ACT scores included: Molokaʻi High School (11% in 2014 to 30% in 2015); Lānaʻi High and Elementary (19% in 2014 to 36% in 2015); and Maui High School (26% in 2014 to 42% in 2015).
• Making the list for Outstanding Schools in on-time Graduation Rate was Lānaʻi High and Elementary, which scored 97%, second only to University Lab School, which scored a perfect 100%.  Maui’s Hāna High and Elementary also made the list with a 94% graduation rate.  Maui’s Kīhei Charter School made most improved list for the category going from a 64% graduation rate in 2014 to a 70% graduation rate in 2015).
• Three Maui County Schools made the list of most improved from 2014 to 2015 in Science Proficiency including: Kula Elementary (27% in 2014 to 78% in 2015); Puʻu Kukui Elementary (32% in 2014 to 62% in 2015); and Kaunakakai Elementary (23% in 2014 to 51% in 2015).
• Puʻu Kukui Elementary also made the most improved list for English Language Arts/Literacy, going from 33% in 2014 to 62% in 2015.  Also making the list was Pāʻia Elementary, which went from 39% in 2014 to 65% in 2015.
• Two Maui County Schools made the list of most improved from 2014 to 2015 in Mathematics including: Puʻu Kukui Elementary (28% in 2014 to 62% in 2015); and Haʻikū Elementary (41% in 2014 to 63% in 2015).
• Making the list for most improved in absenteeism was Maui’s Kamehameha III Elementary, which dropped from 19% in 2014 to 14% in 2015.
• Two Maui County Schools were included on the list for most improved in 8th Grade ACT EXPLORE scores: Lokelani Intermediate (28% in 2014 to 49% in 2015); and Molokaʻi Middle School (38% in 2014 to 46% in 2015).
• In the category for College Going-Rate, Molokaʻi High School was among the list of 10 schools that showed the most improvement, going from a 45% rate in 2014 to a 51% rate in 2015.

Seven other schools moved to the top-tier or “Recognition” status by meeting or exceeding performance targets.  The list includes: Aliamanu Elementary; Kahala Elementary; Mililani Waena Elementary; Momilani Elementary; Pearl City Highlands Elementary; Shafter Elementary; and Voyager PCS (K-8).

“Schools are doing an excellent job of looking at all of the different indicators and making strategic changes to make an impact for their students,” said Deputy Superintendent Stephen Schatz in a press release announcement. “We are especially pleased to see our increases in ACT scores, as it means more and more of our students are prepared for the rigor of college,” said Schatz.

Launched in school year 2012-13, Strive HI is Hawaii’s locally designed performance system that is a waiver from the federal No Child Left Behind law, which looked only at reading and math test scores and imposed consequences for schools that fell short of proficiency targets. Strive HI measures school performance and progress, and tailors supports and interventions for improvement.