Kamehameha
appealing decision
of accrediting team

The school says the
self-study required by the
Western Association of Schools
and Colleges would tax
its resources

By Debra Barayuga
Star-Bulletin

Kamehameha Schools is appealing a decision by an accrediting commission that gave the school less than the maximum six-year accreditation.

Secondary Principal Tony Ramos yesterday confirmed that the Western Association of Schools and Colleges had given the secondary school a three-month accreditation and was also requiring a full self-study.

The notification letter, received May 11, criticized the school's governance, Ramos said. "It's still not clear."

Preparing another self-study on programs that the visiting team reported were highly effective would be a drain on teachers' time and resources, he said.

"I really owe it to my faculty and my students not to have to go through a full self-study in three years when we have no control over the governance issues."

The school president and the board of trustees need to resolve those issues, he said.

"We have to focus on teaching and learning," Ramos said.

Toni Lee, president of Na Pua a Ke Ali'i o Pauahi, an organization of Kamehameha parents, students and alumni, said they had known since last summer that the school's governance would be scrutinized by the accreditation team.

"That's why we were adamant in trying to get the trustees to speak to us to discuss the problems and get all that behind us," she said.

Governance still hasn't improved, she said.

A team of educators who visited the campus in March gave high marks to teachers, students and the curriculum but criticized the school governance.

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