[ OUR OPINION ]
When educators lead,
achievement followsANYONE who doubts that the core of improvement in public education takes place in the classroom would only need look at what is going on at Waianae High School. There, initiative and collaboration among principal, teachers and parents have begun to make a significant difference in the achievements of freshmen students.
THE ISSUE
A year-old program at Waianae High School shows promise for freshmen.
Though only in its first year, results show great promise for the class of 2007.
The "Freshman Success Academy" at Waianae has increased daily attendance from 87 percent to about 92 percent while discipline referrals have plunged from 405 last year to 139 this year.
Most meaningful, however, is the gain in student promotions to 10th grade. Where previously 66 percent of freshmen moved up, the program has boosted that to as much as 85 percent. In addition, more 9th graders made the school's honor rolls, exceeding the number of seniors and juniors who did.
Freshman year is a make-or-break stage for students. The Star-Bulletin's Susan Essoyan reports that the transition from middle to high school is difficult, "the largest leak in the education pipeline," according to a Boston College study.
Waianae High's principal JoAnn Kumasaka said about one-third of freshmen ultimately drop out with 165 to 170 of 500 not making it to 10th grade. Statewide, 15.9 percent of 9th graders fail to show up for their sophomore year.
To stem the flow, the school adopted the academy model that physically separates freshmen from older students on campus, doubles their English and math lessons, groups them with teams of teachers and administrative staff, increases courses from six to eight over a year, provides five more hours of classwork each week and social and study skills along with career guidance. In addition, teachers open and keep communications lines to parents, which has raised parental attention, a key to a student's success.
Campbell High also is experimenting with the academy model and has found similar success.
To pay for the program, which cost Waianae $180,000 in materials alone, administrators at both schools sought grants. Staff and state-allotted funds were shuffled to fit new needs.
The schools did not allow systems in place previously to stand in the way. Its leaders did not need restructuring of education boards, economic theorists and gurus, summit conferences, task forces and political agendas to spur progress. They focused on their problems, found a program that held hope to meet their goals and went at it, exactly the can-do approach necessary to help students do better.
While the state's political leaders have fashioned various worthy changes for public school improvements, what's taken place at Waianae and Campbell demonstrates that given sufficient funds and support, educators themselves can spur progress.
