| Hawaii is currently the only state in the union with a | | | | populations of children of non-native English speaking |
| unified school system statewide. Policy decisions are | | | | immigrants and a culture that is different in many |
| made by the fourteen-member state Board of | | | | ways from the mainland U.S., whence most of the |
| Education, with thirteen members elected for | | | | course materials come, and where most of the |
| four-year terms and one non-voting student member. | | | | standards for schools are set. |
| The Board of Education sets statewide educational | | | | The public elementary, middle, and high school scores |
| policy and hires the state superintendent of schools, | | | | in Hawaii tend to be below average on national tests |
| who oversees the operations of the state | | | | as mandated under the No Child Left Behind Act. |
| Department of Education. The Department of | | | | Some of this can be attributed to the Hawaii State |
| Education is also divided into seven districts, four on | | | | Board of Education requiring all eligible students to |
| Oahu and one for each of the other counties. | | | | take these tests and reporting all student test scores |
| The structure of the state Department of Education | | | | unlike, for example, Texas and Michigan. Results |
| has been a subject of discussion and controversy in | | | | reported in August 2005 indicate that two-thirds of |
| recent years. The main rationale for the current | | | | Hawaii's schools failed to reach federal minimum |
| centralized model is equity in school funding and | | | | performance standards in math and reading (of 282 |
| distribution of resources: leveling out inequalities that | | | | schools across the state, 185 failed). |
| would exist between highly populated Oahu and the | | | | On the other hand, results of the ACT college |
| more rural Neighbor Islands, and between | | | | placement tests show that Hawaii class of 2005 |
| lower-income and more affluent areas of the state. | | | | seniors scored slightly above the national average |
| This system of school funding differs from many | | | | (21.9 compared with 20.9) (Honolulu Advertiser, Aug. |
| localities in the United States where schools are | | | | 17, 2005, p. B1). It should be noted that fewer |
| funded from local property taxes. | | | | students take the ACT examination than take the |
| Policy initiatives have been made in recent years | | | | more widely accepted SAT examination. On the |
| toward decentralization. Current Governor Linda Lingle | | | | SAT, Hawaii's college bound seniors tend to score |
| is a proponent of replacing the current statewide | | | | below the national average in all categories except |
| board with seven elected district boards. The | | | | math. |
| Democrat-controlled state legislature opposed her | | | | Economy |
| proposal, instead favoring expansion of | | | | The history of Hawaii can be traced through a |
| decision-making power to the schools and giving | | | | succession of dominating industries: sandalwood, |
| schools more discretion over budgeting. Political | | | | whaling, sugarcane, pineapple, military, tourism, and |
| debate of structural reform is likely to continue for | | | | education. Since statehood was achieved in 1959, |
| the foreseeable future. | | | | tourism has been the largest industry in Hawaii, |
| Schools and academies | | | | contributing 24.3% of the Gross State Product (GSP) |
| As stated above, the Hawaii State Department of | | | | in 1997. New efforts are underway to diversify the |
| Education operates all of the public schools in the | | | | economy. The total gross output for the state in |
| State of Hawaii. | | | | 2003 was US$47 billion; per capita income for Hawaii |
| Hawaii has the distinction of educating more students | | | | residents was US$30,441. |
| in independent institutions of secondary education | | | | Industrial exports from Hawaii include food processing |
| than any other state in the United States. It also has | | | | and apparel. These industries play a small role in the |
| four of the largest independent schools: Mid-Pacific | | | | Hawaii economy, however, due to the considerable |
| Institute, Iolani School, Kamehameha Schools, and | | | | shipping distance to markets on the west coast of |
| Punahou School. The second Buddhist high school in | | | | the United States and ports of, coffee, macadamia |
| the United States, and first Buddhist high school in | | | | nuts, pineapple, livestock, and sugar cane. Agricultural |
| Hawaii, Pacific Buddhist Academy, was founded in | | | | sales for 2002, according to the Hawaii Agricultural |
| 2003. (The first Buddhist high school in the United | | | | Statistics Service, were US$370.9 million from |
| States was Developing Virtue Secondary School | | | | diversified agriculture, US$100.6 million from pineapple, |
| founded in 1981 in Ukiah, California.) | | | | and US$64.3 million from sugarcane. |
| Both independent and charter schools can select their | | | | Hawaii is known for its relatively high per capita state |
| students, while the regular public schools must take all | | | | tax burden. In the years 2002 and 2003, Hawaii |
| students in their district. For a comprehensive list of | | | | residents had the highest state tax per capita at |
| independent schools, see the list of independent | | | | US$2,757 and US$2,838, respectively. This rate can |
| schools in Hawaii. For a comprehensive list of public | | | | be explained partly by the fact that services such as |
| schools, see the list of public schools in Hawaii. | | | | education, health care and social services are all |
| Colleges and universities | | | | rendered at the state level — as opposed |
| Graduates of institutions of secondary learning in | | | | to the municipal level as all other states. |
| Hawaii often either enter directly into the work force | | | | Millions of tourists contribute to the collection figure |
| or attend colleges and universities. While many | | | | by paying the general excise tax and hotel room tax; |
| choose to attend colleges and universities on the | | | | thus not all the taxes collected come directly from |
| mainland or elsewhere, most choose to attend one | | | | residents. Business leaders, however, have often |
| of many institutions of higher learning in Hawaii. | | | | considered the state's tax burden as being too high, |
| The largest of these institutions is the University of | | | | contributing to both higher prices and the perception |
| Hawaii System. It consists of: (1) the flagship | | | | of an unfriendly business climate [4]. See the list of |
| research university at Manoa (Manoa); (2) two | | | | businesses in Hawaii for more information on |
| comprehensive campuses Hilo and West Oahu; and | | | | commerce in the state. |
| (7) seven Community Colleges. Students choosing | | | | Until recently, Hawaii was the only state in the U.S. |
| private education attend Brigham Young University | | | | that attempted to control gasoline prices through a |
| Hawaii, Chaminade University of Honolulu, Hawaii | | | | Gas Cap Law. The law was enacted during a period |
| Pacific University, or University of the Nations. | | | | when oil profits in Hawaii in relation to the Mainland |
| The Saint Stephen Diocesan Center is a seminary of | | | | U.S. were under scrutiny, and sought to tie local |
| the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu. For a | | | | gasoline prices to those of the Mainland. The law |
| comprehensive list of colleges and universities, see | | | | took effect in September 2005 amid price |
| the list of colleges and universities in Hawaii. | | | | fluctuations caused by Hurricane Katrina. The Hawaii |
| Problems | | | | state legislature suspended the law in April 2006. |
| Public schools in Hawaii have to deal with large | | | | |