by Patrick M. Walsh

Public high school graduation rates are a good indicator of the performance of the Department of Education. Students begin public school in Kindergarten and finish twelve years later walking the graduation line with their classmates. For most students it is the first major accomplishment in life, and a time for celebration with family and friends.

However there is an increasing trend of high school failure in Hawai`i. According to the latest information released by the U.S. State Department of Education, Hawai`i state graduation rates were about 7 in 10 on O`ahu and 5 in 10 on the outer islands. Hawai`i has about 33 high school students dropping out each school day. Of the total number of 9th graders who enrolled in Hawai`i’s high schools in the 2004-2005 school year 5,836 did not graduate. Compared to the national high school graduation rate, Hawai`i is ranked in the middle.

Such alarming figures are unacceptable and lead us to question why are we failing to reach so many students? This needs to end. We need to redirect the focus of the DOE and legislators from the ‘administration of our public schools’ to a focus on the ‘success of our individual students.’

Major issues that need to be addressed immediately include:

-- the re-allocation of funds from our bloated administration to our teachers’ salaries to attract the best teachers available for our students,

-- creation of smaller classrooms, which are proven to be more effective in engaging students,

-- development of more modern instructional materials, training and implementation of proven innovative ‘best practice’ educational techniques and programs, as well as a curriculum that engages a broader audience of students diverse learning styles.

It must be a priority to identify the issues that are causing the students to drop out, approach it on a case by case basis, and begin making real progress on this paramount problem and crisis that is short-changing our children.

Patrick M. Walsh is a candidate for Board of Education Second District including Hawai`i, Kaua`i, and Maui Counties. www.Walsh4Hawaii.com