It could take three to five years for students to fully recover behaviorally and academically from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to state Department of Education Superintendent Keith Hayashi.
“Nationally, they’re saying three to five years is a general recovery as a result of the pandemic,” he said during a livestream with the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Friday. “We’re going to do our best to expedite that as quickly as possible.”
The 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress, also known as the Nation’s Report Card, found eighth-grade math scores were hit hard by the pandemic.
Among the 8,000 Hawaii public school students surveyed across 140 schools, eighth-grade math proficiency levels dropped from 2019 to 2022 and were below the national average.
“We know test scores are just one snippet to show how students are performing at that point in time,” Hawaii State Teachers Association Vice President Logan Okita said on Tuesday. “There are so many variables, especially for our middle schoolers, that come into play when they’re taking an assessment like that, and we as a system need some time and support in order to develop our programs a little bit better from our kindergarten level up, so that our students are prepared by the time they’re in eighth grade.”
The 2022 Kids Count Data Book by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, a charitable foundation based in Baltimore, found that just 22% of eighth-grade students in Hawaii were at or above the proficiency level in math, a decrease from 28% in 2019.
“Middle level education is an area we’re definitely focusing on,” Hayashi said. “We’ve connected with the Association for Middle Level Education so all of our teachers, school principals and administrators have memberships now to the AMLE and to the resources that it provides.”
These resources include online assessments, classes for educators, and articles dedicated to improving education at the middle school level.
Okita remains hopeful proficiency levels can increase prior to graduation.
“Those students have the opportunity to gain proficiency in areas that they weren’t proficient in before they take assessments that will help them to gain entry into college,” she said.
Despite the pandemic, Hayashi noted high school graduation rates did increase in 2022.
“Our graduation rate actually has increased, so we know that students are completing school,” he said.
Public schools in Hawaii reported an 86% on-time graduation rate in 2022, and promotions from middle schools increasedto 89%. For the Big Island, Waiakea High School reported the highest graduation rate at 90% in 2022.
Hayashi is hopeful the return of in-person learning will not only improve test scores, but also behavioral skills.
“Prioritizing in-person learning really allowed our schools to implement those data-driven strategies that we need in the classroom to really support and accelerate student learning,” he said, adding there are roughly 250 students still involved in the statewide virtual learning program. “In-person learning has shown it is very important for our students to be in school, not just for the academics, but for the social-emotional support of friends, peers and counseling services.”
The Board of Education is also prioritizing middle school students in its new strategic plan, which sets goals for the next five to six years and applies to more than 176,000 students in the DOE.
BOE members want all students to be proficient in reading by the end of third grade, and proficient in math by the end of eighth grade. The plan also emphasizes preparing high school students for college and career success by requesting all students graduate high school with a personal plan for their future and explore a variety of career opportunities.
A 14-question survey for parents and the community to weigh in on the strategic plan can be completed until Jan. 12 at https://tinyurl.com/ydr84mh8.
But there remains an ongoing teacher shortage that continues to impact students, with Hayashi reporting 737 teacher vacancies as of Dec. 1.
“Every vacancy that we have in the state is a classroom that doesn’t have a qualified teacher in front of those students,” Okita said. “Teachers can’t work miracles, especially overnight, but we’re going to do our best to make sure that all of our students can get what they need to be on track and to be the best students and community contributors they can be.”
The HSTA hopes to address the teacher shortage during the 2023 legislative session starting Jan. 18.
One focus is on revising Act 51, known as the Reinventing Education Act of 2004, which lists per-pupil funding ratios that impact rural districts to ensure adequate staffing, curriculum and supplies for the neighbor islands.
Okita said the change is about “making sure all of our schools have access to funding that allows every student, no matter what their zip code is, to access quality education and quality resources.”
Email Grant Phillips at gphillips@hawaiitribune-herald.com.