MEDIA RELEASE

A greater number of Hawaii public school students are getting a head start on higher education by earning college credits while in high school and taking advanced placement courses, according to a new College and Career Readiness Indicators report.

The report, released by Hawaii P-20 Partnerships for Education and the state Department of Education (DOE), indicates improvements by public school students at every step of the college-readiness pipeline.

Among the highlights:

* The percentage of students enrolled in dual credit courses (earning college credit while in high school) increased by 7.7 points to 723 students from 671 students. Waipahu High School showed the biggest gain with 65 students participating in dual credit, up from 23 students a year ago.

* Advanced Placement exam participation increased to 27 percent from 24 percent.

* The percentage of students who enrolled in a University of Hawaii campus in college-level math rose to 26.7 percent from 24 percent, while the percentage of students requiring remedial math classes dropped to 32 percent from 36 percent.

* The college enrollment rate remained steady at 54 percent. Enrollment in four-year post-secondary institutions increased by two percentage points over two-year institutions. The report now also accounts for college enrollment numbers at Hawaii Pacific University, in addition to the University of Hawaii.

* The top five college enrollment rates by high schools were Kalani (78 percent), Mililani (71 percent), Roosevelt (70 percent), Moanalua (68 percent) and Kalaheo (65 percent).

* Of the high school graduates who enrolled in postsecondary education in the first fall semester following graduation, 70 percent attended one of the University of Hawaii’s 10 campuses.

* Hawaii’s class of 2013 graduates are attending college in every state in the nation and the District of Columbia, with the exception of South Dakota and Vermont.

Despite progress in many areas, the data reveals many students are graduating from high school without college- and career-ready skills. One-third of DOE graduates who enroll at the University of Hawaii take remedial courses in math or English. Outcomes are even worse for those who took less than Algebra 2 in high school.

“This report provides more evidence that there is much work to be done to help students transition to college-level studies,” DOE Deputy Superintendent Ronn Nozoe said. “At the center of our Strategic Plan is the focus on improving teaching and learning in every classroom. The report shows we are making progress and our educators, students and communities deserve to be commended for those successes.”

“The information provided by the annual College and Career Readiness Indicators reports is essential to gauge the readiness of Hawaii’s students as they transition from high school to postsecondary education,” said Karen Lee, executive director of Hawaii P-20 Partnerships for Education. “Using this data, educators and school administrators can identify strategies that are most effective in preparing students for college and the workforce.”

“To achieve Hawaii’s education goal of 55 percent of working age adults having a 2- or 4-year college degree by 2025, students must be prepared early, and this data helps us understand what it takes to prepare students and help them to succeed,” Lee added. “We are very pleased to see increases in college preparation over the past four years.”

The College and Career Readiness Indicators (CCRI) reports are an annual collaboration between the Hawaii State Department of Education and the University of Hawaii, coordinated by Hawaii P-20 Partnerships for Education, to present information on how well Hawaii public school graduates are prepared for college.

Hawaii’s CCRI reports are continuously recognized by national organizations, including the Education Sector, the Data Quality Campaign, Achieve, and the National Governors Association, as a leading example of both collaboration between K-12 and higher education and for providing useful information on college readiness.

The full reports can be found at: www.p20hawaii.org/resources/college-and-career-readiness-indicators-reports/2013-ccri-data/

— Find out more:
www.p20hawaii.org
www.HawaiiPublicSchools.org