Report: Class of 2011 college enrollment increases

MEDIA RELEASE

Fifty-three percent of Hawaii’s public high schools’ Class of 2011 enrolled in college for the Fall semester following their commencement, an increase of three percent over the previous years’ graduating class enrollment, according to a new study by the Hawaii P-20 Partnerships for Education and the state Department of Education.

“The College and Career Readiness Indicators report is an important tool that provides the information we need to see if our state is improving the college-going rate of our public high school students, and to gauge progress on their assessments and college remediation rates. This information is invaluable to the Hawaii P-20 mission of 55 percent of working age adults having a 2- or 4-year college degree by 2025,” said Karen Lee, executive director of Hawaii P-20 Partnerships for Education. “We are very pleased to see college-going rates and college preparation increase over the past three years.”

“Today’s report is encouraging, and the upward trend in college-going rates is a positive sign for the state’s economic outlook,” said DOE Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi. “The College and Career Readiness Indicators report provides school administrators and educators with a diverse set of data that will help inform critical decision-making to ensure our graduates are ready to enter college and compete in a global workforce.”

Nanakuli High School increased its college-going rate by 12 percent over two years. Kalani High School tops the state with 81 percent of their students entering postsecondary education followed by Mililani, Moanalua, Roosevelt, and Waiakea at 67 percent.

The University of Hawaii remains the top choice for students, with 40 percent of the Class of 2011 enrolled in one of 10 UH campuses for the Fall 2011 semester. This represents 80 percent of those graduates who entered college.

The College and Career Readiness Indicators (CCRI) report presents information on how well Hawaii public school graduates are prepared to meet the DOE’s Vision of a High School Graduate.

It is an annual collaboration between the State of Hawaii Department of Education and the University of Hawaii, coordinated by Hawaii P-20 Partnerships for Education.

For the full reports, visit: www.p20hawaii.org/node/122