Project Description:
Project Ho`oku`i's primary focus is on Native Hawaiian (NH) students in grades 10, 11, and 12 who are most at-risk of school failure including those with disabilities and those at-risk due to factors such as inadequate grade level skills in math, reading, and writing and the effects of living in poverty. Project Ho`oku`i will increase the number of NH high school students who meet the academic qualifications to participate and succeed in the Running Start Program. Running Start is a statewide partnership between the Hawai`i Department of Education (HIDOE) and the UH system that provides an opportunity for academically qualified juniors and seniors to enroll in college classes as part of their high school coursework. To be eligible for Running Start students must pass either the math or English Community College placement tests for the level 100 college classes. Once admitted into Running Start, students can take classes during the fall, spring and summer sessions while earning both high school and college credits. Project Ho`oku`i will prepare students to pass the placement test(s) and then support them once enrolled in Running Start.
The following four objectives will be implemented in order to achieve the goal of preparing NH high school students for acceptance into Running Start and to support their participation in and completion of Running Start. This will lead to increased enrollment of NH students in postsecondary education institutions.
Obj. 1: Provide after school individualized computer based accelerated instruction emphasizing diagnosis, correction, and acceleration all designed to prepare students to take and pass the UH system placement test. The accelerated computer based instruction will focus on math, reading, and writing skills.
Obj. 2: Provide culturally relevant mentoring and career counseling support designed to assist students as they transition to post-secondary education.
Obj. 3: Provide after-school tutorial support focusing on the skills necessary to achieve at the college level.
Obj. 4: Provide transportation for students in order to increase access, to project activities and college campuses.
All objectives will be implemented to support NH high school students to meet the criteria for participation in Running Start and their subsequent participation.
In collaboration with the HIDOE, University of Hawai`i at Hilo, and Hawai`i Community College, project Ho`oku will begin on the east side of the island of Hawai`i, targeting 100 - 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students, at six proposed sites: Hilo, Waiakea, and Pahoa high schools, and Ka ana La`ahana, Kua O Ka La and Connections public charter schools.
Approximately 1 year into the project the strategies implemented in East Hawai`i will be replicated on the island of Maui in collaboration with the HIDOE and Maui Community College (MCC). MCC also serves the islands of Kauai and Molokai with satellite campuses thus project staff on these islands will work directly with local high school students expanding the project's reach to over 300 NH students.
Proposed project outcomes include 300 or more NH high school students taking college level courses while in high school, passing these courses, and earning college and high school credits. An additional expected outcome is the admittance into the postsecondary education institution of their choice of participating students. The expectation is that more than 200 participating NH students will enter postsecondary education.
Core Function(s):
Training Trainees, Performing Technical Assistance and/or Training, Performing Research or Evaluation, Developing & Disseminating Information
Target Audience:
Students/Trainees (long or intermediate trainees), Community Trainees / Short term trainees, Family Members/Caregivers
Unserved or Under-served Populations:
Racial or Ethnic Minorities, Disadvantaged Circumstances, Limited English, Geographic Areas, Rural/Remote, Specific Groups
