Native Hawaiian Education

What's New

In fiscal year (FY) 2024, the Native Hawaiian Education (NHE) program awarded 11 new grants to Native Hawaiian educational and community based organizations and entities in Hawaii totaling $10 million. These grants support innovative educational programs to assist Native Hawaiians and recognizes the important role that the Native Hawaiian language and culture play in the educational success and long-term well-being of Native Hawaiian students.

Please visit the Awards tab for abstracts and information on the funded projects.

Program Description

The purpose of the Native Hawaiian Education program is to develop innovative education programs to assist Native Hawaiians and to supplement and expand programs and authorities in the area of education. Authorized activities include, among others: early education and care programs; family-based education centers; beginning reading and literacy programs; activities to address the needs of gifted and talented Native Hawaiian students; special education programs; professional development for educators; and activities to enable Native Hawaiian students to enter and complete postsecondary education programs.

Types of Projects

Authorized activities include, among others: early education and care programs; family-based education centers; beginning reading and literacy programs; after-school or summer-session cultural education programs; activities to address the needs of gifted and talented Native Hawaiian students; special education programs; professional development for educators; and activities to enable Native Hawaiian students to enter and complete postsecondary education programs.

2024 Awards

I Pa’a Ka Huewai Pawehe “So that our prized water gourds are made firm”– Round Two is a strategic partnership between the University of Hawai’i at Manoa College of Education (UHM), the Hawai’i Department of Education (HIDOE), and the Hawai’i Department of Health (HIDOH) with the goal of improving the academic success alongside the physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing of the Whole Native Hawaii (NH) Child. Specifically, the goals of the project are: (1) Improve the overall health and wellbeing of NH students; (2) Improve the quality of HE and PE according to Hawai’i state standards and benchmarks as well as national recommendations; and (3) Identify meaningful intersections within overall health and education, addressing Whole Child development. The HIDOE serves a large proportion of NH youth, with many being at-risk for long-term health issues given high obesity rates and the lack of participation in PA. Furthermore, many NH youth have experienced various forms of cultural trauma and find it hard to be successful in traditional academic venues. Given the relationship between the overall health of youth and academic success in schools, there is a drastic need for interventions surrounding the health of the whole child. This need, coupled with the unique and underserved population of NH youth, shows that the proposed project is timely and warranted. To build upon I Pa’a Ka Hueqai Pawehe which currently partners with 20 schools, spanning four complex areas (on Oahu and Kuaui), Round 2 will add 15 more schools across three new complex areas (on Hawaii, Maui, and Molokai) as well as expand programming in the current schools to incorporate ‘Aina based education, reaching over 25,000 students in total. There are four main components of the grant that will help achieve the overarching goals: (1) professional development and implementation of culturally relevant and trauma informed teaching strategies; (2) professional development and implementation of quality Health Education, Physical Education, and Social-emotional learning concepts; (3) integration of physical activity throughout the school day that incorporates social-emotional learning and NH history and culture; and (4) Aina based education for elementary based education for elementary schools in Round One of I Pa’a Ka Huewai Pawehe. First, through workshops, site-based mentoring, and the establishment of teacher-led learning communities in Round 2 schools, partners will provide comprehensive professional development and extensive resources to the health education, physical education, and classroom teachers that will ensure a strong knowledge base of the new state of Hawai’i HE & PE standards, SEL competencies, and best practices in teaching, ensuring NH graduate with the skills to live an active and healthy lifestyle. Second, trauma-informed and culturally relevant teaching strategies will be introduced to ensure that NH students are at the center of learning experiences and that the teachers are designing and honoring culture and experience in everything that they do. Third, culturally relevant PA opportunities will be encouraged throughout the day in order to enhance students learning experiences and teach them healthy ways to cope with everyday life. Finally, students in Round One schools will experience Aina based education in partnership with Kokua Hawai’i Foundation to learn about the Aina, Hawaiian language, and how to live a healthy lifestyle with local resources.

(KAʻA, pronounced kah-ah) objectives are designed to address the educational disparities of at-risk Native Hawaiian (NH) children with limited opportunities by developing family capacity and assets, increasing financial security, and improving educational outcomes of low-income NH children, ages 0-8. Research shows that when families have assets, children usually do better in subjects like math and reading, finish high school, and even go to college. However, due to COVID-19, many families in Hawaiʻi who were already struggling financially, lost their jobs which put them in deeper debt. In its first year (through American Rescue Plan Act funds), KAʻA made an immediate impact in communities with the highest concentrations of NH across the state by providing much-needed COVID-19 relief funds to 500 young families for essential basic and educational needs and seeded/incentivized 369 Children’s Savings Accounts (CSAs) to help families invest in their child’s education. By coaching families to plan for and manage educational savings, this evidence-based program helps break the cycle of poverty and provide children with the tools they need to succeed. This program addresses Absolute Priority 1: b(i-iii), c, d, f, g(ii), h(i), j, l; Competitive Preference Priorities 1: a, b, d, and 2: a; and GPRA Measures 1 and 2 (Targets, Early Childhood) by: providing financial savings assistance, coaching, and education to low-income NH households participating in early childhood education programs in 24-plus NH community sites statewide; support for emergent mental health and unmet basic needs of families; and evaluation of process/outcomes for continuous improvement and new research on impact (see Table 3 in narrative). This project will serve 300 continuing children, 1000 new children, 1300+ caregivers, and train 45 early education staff/participants statewide (2600+ family members total).

The Hawaiian Storytelling: Screenplay Writing & Music Video Production program (HS) brings together native Hawaiian youth and adults with mentors to learn about Hawaiian Storytelling through screenwriting for television and film along with music video production workshops designed to integrate Hawaiian language and culture, engender well-being and increase cultural sustainability. Maui Mixer is a nonprofit organization that helps to develop and support projects to promote and perpetuate traditional Hawaiian practices. Hawaiian Storytelling (HS) empowers Keanae and Maui native Hawaiian community members, between the ages of 12-75, in turning their stories into viable and screenplays and music videos. The HS program is a collaboration between Maui Mixer, Project Kuleana, EA Ecoversity, and Entertainment Industry Executive Michael Palmieri, which are indigenous-led organizations and individuals. Hawaiian Storytelling includes two streams of media industry training: Screenplay Writing, in which participants are coached through a process of concept development, screenplay writing, and final drafts. The Music Video Production program will work with participants to use the ancient lore and legends of specific geographic location of Keanae and Paukukalo to produce musical content in digital media. Priority will be given to residents of Keanae and Paukukalo, who face isolation and economic deprivation, with corresponding mental health and poor education. The HS project addresses these priorities by training Native Hawaiians to create quality media products, based in Hawaiian cultural themes and stories, forming an archive that can be used to transmit cultural knowledge across generations. The participants in both streams of the program will receive training and experience in highly technical fields in which Native Hawaiians are underemployed, despite being subjects of entertainment content generating many millions of dollars of revenue. The skills and products resulting will help participants to increase the economic viability of these communities and regain control of traditional indigenous narratives, which will in turn nurture a healthy sense of cultural identity and connectedness to community and place. The Hawaiian Storytelling project includes two streams of media industry training: Screenplay Writing and Music Video Production. The HS Screenplay Writing program will train 12 native Hawaiian writers from Maui County each year (36 total), coordinated by EA Ecoversity and director Kū Kahakalau and Michael Palmieri, the copyrighted storytelling and screenwriting program forming the basis of Hawaiian Storytelling program. Participants will be mentored by Indigenous and Hollywood screenwriters and storytellers through a 5-day workshop followed by eight virtual workshops, and 16 check-ins with Palmieri, Kahakalau and mentors. A 3-day final workshop will allow graduates to present their work followed by a hōʻike (graduation) ceremony. Graduates receive EA Ecoversity microcredentials. The Music Video Production program trains 24 participants per year (72 total) in production skills including songwriting, storytelling, camera operation, editing, set design and costuming. The program is coordinated by Kihei Nahale-a of Project Kuleana, whose music video production program integrates Hawaiian language, traditional music, and research in Hawaiian history. The Music Video Production program includes two 3-week summer programs each year, in Keanae and Wailuku on the island of Maui. In total, 108 native Hawaiians between the ages of 10-65 will participate in the Hawaiian Storytelling program.

The Ho‘oulu Project: Growing Pathways to Success for NHs proposes to implement a workforce development college and career pathway program for Native Hawaiians (NHs), proposed by Keiki o ka ‘Āina Family Learning Centers (KOKA). In partnership with University of Hawai‘i Community Colleges, and the Hawai‘i State Department of Education high schools in Honolulu and Leeward areas on the island of O‘ahu, the Ho‘oulu Project will serve 150 NHs over the 3-year project period. The Ho‘oulu project has 20 workforce development proposed sites on the island of O‘ahu including KOKA’s Preschools and Family Centers, and KOKA’s ‘Āina-based sites. Ho‘oulu Project participants will include NH high school students, including NH students with disabilities, and NH adults not in high school. Participants will complete both college course work and work-based learning experiences, leading them to successful high school graduation and/or successful entry to post-secondary education and the workforce. The Ho‘oulu Project will focus on increasing NH educational attainment, empowering NH self-sufficiency, and inspiring inclusive communities where NHs of all ages and abilities are empowered to live independently, find meaningful employment, and thrive in spirit while embracing traditional NH values and practices.

The Kū i ka Māna Project (KMP) is proposed by Ka Haka ʻUla o Keʻelikōlani (KHʻUOK) College of Hawaiian Language at UH Hilo which is requesting NHEP funding to increase access to and effective use of family based print and multimedia Hawaiian language (HL) educational resources through an innovative culturally grounded “Kū i ka Māna” process producing resources, opportunities, services, and infrastructure to bridge learning from the kumu (teacher) and kula (school) to the ʻohana (family). Although breathtaking progress has been made in the past 45 years of the HL revitalization movement, a clear-eyed assessment using UNESCO measures reveals that the HL remains “critically endangered” and that the ʻohana is a crucial front line for revitalization efforts to reestablish intergenerational transmission of HL within the family unit and move the language from “reawakened” to “revitalized” in the Expanded Intergenerational Disruption Scale (EGIDS) for endangered language recovery and renormalization. The KMP will accomplish the project goal and address this critical need for HL educational supports through three interdependent project objectives: (1) Develop HL learning resources (HLLR) and curriculum for PK-12 HL medium (HLM) students, their teachers (with a focus on the critical K-3 years of early literacy and oralcy development), and importantly, their families, incorporating international family-involvement research insights to ensure efficacy of project HLLRs, pedagogy, strategies, and involving a cohort of grade 11-18 secondary and post-secondary HLM students in the resource development process to help recruit and prepare a new generation of HL resource developers; (2) Coordinate in-person family HL workshops on 6 islands and through online learning platforms, and host K-3 teacher in-service professional development offerings to build the capacity of families and schools to further empower HL learners from the pre-kindergarten to elder learner levels and build school and family capacity to perpetuate and renormalize HL; (3) Disseminate all print and digital KMP HLLRs to families, schools, and the broader community bridging learning from schools to families to the burgeoning HL community across the Hawaiian islands and beyond. The KMP will serve 3,969 HLM students, their 2,695 families, 229 K-12 teachers, and 41 HLM PK-12 schools on Hawaiʻi, Maui, Lānaʻi, Molokaʻi, Oʻahu, and Kauaʻi.

Kahawai Ola: The Living Stream is proposed by the University of Hawaii. These activities, when combined, will increase postsecondary education enrollment for underserved Native Hawaiian students, the project goal. Activities include 1) the development of ha‘awina or academic curricula/lessons that incorporate Native Hawaiian traditions, practices and culture into early college coursework; 2) exposing Native Hawaiian high school students to college experiences such as early college courses, on-site workshops, and a summer institute; and 3) providing peer mentoring and wraparound services for students enrolled in early college courses. The project goal is supported by the following objectives: Objective 1: Increase the ability of UHWO faculty and instructors to integrate and apply Hawaiian culture-based education (HCBE) into early college curricula and activities; and Objective 2: Increase college readiness of Native Hawaiian high school students. Over 3 years, the project will impact a predominately Native Hawaiian population at six high schools in the Leeward District—Kapolei, James Campbell, Waipahu, Nānākuli, Waiʻanae and Pearl City. Approximately 3,600 high school students will be exposed to college readiness workshops and activities and approximately 180 students and their families will be engaged in college readiness activities. And finally, approximately 21 faculty and instructors will participate in a professional learning community and create unique lessons plans that integrate Hawaiian culture-based education (HCBE).

Everyone Gets a High School Diploma is proposed by OIWI WORKS. Objective 1: Increase the number of Native Hawaiian adult learners who earn a high school diploma credential. Objective 2: Increase the number of Native Hawaiian adult learners who consider postsecondary education after earning their G.E.D. Activities include: Create evaluation and assessment tools; hold G.E.D. classes on Language Arts, Social Studies, Math, and Science from Monday through Friday throughout the year; schedule G.E.D. exams as students are ready to take each exam; hold weekly counseling sessions with students on life skills and transition from schooling to next steps; meet with D.O.E. Vice Principal and attend quarterly staff meetings and trainings; hold quarterly reviews of program’s progress; prepare annual reports with recommendations for improvement; create and post replicable model on website for other programs to view and use. The number of participants to be served is 50 Native Hawaiian adult learners.

The West Hawai‘i “KOA” (Knowledge, Opportunity, Achievement) Program project goal is to “develop high quality cultural- and placed-based education programs that increase the academic achievement and learning readiness of Native Hawaiian students in Hawaiian and English” via the Objectives: 1) Increase the Academic Performance of Native Hawaiian students in Reading, Math, and Science. 2) Increase student Knowledge of Native Hawaiian Language and Culture. 3) Increase building blocks of healthy development among Native Hawaiian students. The Objectives are met by operating two (2) Hawai‘i DHS Licensed Before & After School Child Care Facilities (Konawaena and Kealakehe Elementary Schools) in the Fall, Spring, and Summer AND implementing grade appropriate cultural- and placed-based curriculum hyper-focused on literacy and STEAM. La‘i‘ōpua 2020, proposing the project, is a Native Hawaiian community-based organization located on Hawaiian Home Lands in Kealakehe (Kailua-Kona), Hawai‘i. The homesteaders of Kaniohale Community Association founded the organization to foster the cultural, social, educational, and economic development of Native Hawaiians in the community. The Output of operating two (2) Hawai‘i DHS Licensed Before & After School Child Care Facilities will produce the following Outputs: 1) Serve 540 K-6 predominately Native Hawaiian students per year. 2). Operate 54 K-6 classes with an average 1:10 instructor student ratio supported by educational assistants to meet the needs of students with disabilities per year. 3) Provide 42 weeks of Afterschool and Summer Enrichment Programs per year.

PŪPŪKAHI HOLOMUA PROJECT objectives and activities include: 1) Establish and coordinate nine Family Learning Centers (FLC), two preschools, and one Infant Toddler Center to provide a seamless system of services on three islands (O’ahu, Maui and Hawai’i) for Native Hawaiian (NH) communities in Hawai‘i. 2) Increase the quality of parent strengths and skills through participation focused on child development, cultural connectedness and positive family interaction. 3) Increase the identification, timely referrals and services for children with special needs. 4) Support the unique cultural and educational needs of Hawaiian families by replicating a family engagement culture-based education framework. 5) Increase the number of early childhood educators by providing professional development and college training and mentorship including job training. Key Activities: 1. Establish nine Family Learning Centers and two preschools to provide a seamless system of services on three islands. 2. Increase quality of parent skills through their participation focused on child development, cultural connectedness and positive family interaction. 3. Increase the identification, referrals and services for children with special needs. 4. Support cultural and educational needs of NH families by replicating a family engagement culture-based education. Participants Served include: 6,030 NH parents, children and teachers through Family Learning Centers and preschools). Number and Location of Proposed Sites include: (15 Hawai’i sites) Ewa Family Learning Center- Ewa; Honolulu Family Learning Center- Honolulu; Kane’ohe Family Learning Center- Kaneohe; Waimanalo Family Learning Center- Waimānalo; Punalu’u Family Learning Center- Hau’ula; Kapolei Family Learning Center, Ma’ili – Community Learning Center, Palolo- On the Campus of Ke Kulakai Aupuni O Anuenue.

Ka Lamakū: Pathways into Secondary Education is proposed by Kaua‘i Community College to increase the number of Native Hawaiian (NH) teachers on Kaua‘i by creating clear, culturally responsive pathways into careers in secondary education. Ka Lamakū does this through the following goals, objectives, and activities: Goal 1. Improved Sense of Belonging for Native Hawaiian Learners Objective 1.1. Improve culturally-relevant support systems for NH students transitioning into Kaua‘i Community College (Kaua‘i CC). Activities include integrating culturally-relevant student success intake practices, developing individualized Student Success Plans for all NH students enrolled in the program, providing all NH students enrolled in the AST program with individualized support on an ongoing basis and referrals into the appropriate first year experience program. Objective 1.2. Develop a campus culture that is responsive to NH student needs as Indigenous Learners. Activities include Indigenizing general education and secondary education curricula, and conducting professional development and specialized workshops on Indigenized curriculum. Goal 2. Improved Secondary Educator Pathways for Native Hawaiian Students Objective 2.1. Provide financial support and financial literacy counseling for NH students enrolled in Kaua‘i CC’s AST degree program. Activities include developing scholarship and financial literacy programs for NH students enrolling in the AST program. Objective 2.2. Improve culturally-responsive early college and face-to-face postsecondary pathways into secondary education teaching careers. Activities include teaching education pathway courses at the three public high schools on island, and Kawaikini Charter School, implementing face-to-face AST option at Kaua‘i CC, matriculating students into the UH-West O‘ahu 2+2 secondary education Bachelor in Education programs in English, math and science, and convening workgroups to develop pathway maps with each of 3 public and 1 charter high schools on Kaua‘i. Over the proposed project period, Kaua‘i CC will serve at least 200 NH early college students (400 students total) and at least 20 NH AST students (40 students total). Project activities will take place at Kaua‘i Community College, as well as Kaua‘i High School, Kapa‘a High School, Waimea High School, and Kawaikini Charter School through early college courses.

Mele: Indigenous Methodology for STEM and Language Education, a 3-year project to develop a culturally and model of a mele-based curriculum to address the needs of Native Hawaiian children and adults, including curriculum materials in the Hawaiian language and science curricula, that incorporate Native Hawaiian tradition and culture, is proposed by KLL. Founded in 2019, Kāhuli Leo Leʻa is a Native Hawaiian-managed and serving 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, aimed at catalyzing aloha ʻāina (love of the land) through the education, composition, and presentation of mele and other cultural practices. OBJECTIVE 1: 1,000 learners of all ages and educational levels will participate in the program annually (3,000 over 3 years). By the end of Year 1, 50% of the learners will score at or above ANA ‘ŌLELO (Hawaiian content + language proficiency assessment). 75 % of the learners (end of Year 2) and 95% of the learners (end of Year 3) will score at or above on the assessment. KLL will release 5 modules a year, 15 modules over 3 years. The team anticipates 33,000+ additional unduplicated learners, including educators, annually. Deliverables: The project will produce a replicable model of a mele-based curriculum for both formal and informal settings. The curriculum will consist of 15 online modules, each containing mele-based educational materials for learners of all ages and levels, and a methodology companion, suitable for individual learners and educators. The curriculum will be in both Hawaiian and English.

2023 Awards

2021 Awards

2020 Awards

2019 Award

2018 Awards

2017 Awards

2016 Award

Eligibility

In general, eligible applicants for the Native Hawaiian Education Program include nonprofit organizations and other educational organizations and/or agencies.

Specifically, the following entities are eligible:

1. Native Hawaiian educational organizations;
2. Native Hawaiian community-based organizations;
3. Public and private nonprofit organizations, agencies, and institutions with experience in developing or operating Native Hawaiian programs or programs of instruction in the Native Hawaiian language;
4. Charter schools;
5. Consortia of the eligible applicants listed in (a) through (c).

2022

Appropriation: $38,897,000
Number of New Awards: 33
Number of Continuation Awards: 18

2021

Appropriation: $36,397,000
Number of New Awards: 35
Number of Continuation Awards: 23

2020

Appropriation: $36,897,000
Number of New Awards: 23
Number of Continuation Awards: 14

2018

Appropriation: $36,397,000
Number of New Awards: 13
Number of Continuation Awards: 26

2017

Appropriation: $33,397,000
Number of New Awards: 25
Number of Continuation Awards: 12

2017

Appropriation: $33,397,000
Number of New Awards: 25
Number of Continuation Awards: 12

2016

Appropriation: $33,397,000
Number of New Awards: 1
Number of Continuation Awards: 27

2015

Appropriation: $32,397,000
Number of New Awards: 11
Number of Continuation Awards: 19

2014

Appropriation: $32,397,000
Number of New Awards: 18
Number of Continuation Awards: 18

2013

Appropriation: $32,397,259
Number of New Awards: 1
Number of Continuation Awards: 39

Legislation

The Native Hawaiian Education Program is authorized by Title VI, Part B of the ESEA, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (20 U.S.C. 7515 7511-7546). The authorizing legislation can be found here (see pages 332 through 341 of the legislation).

Regulations

The Native Hawaiian Education program is regulated by the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR). The full text of EDGAR can be found here.

Performance Report

All current NHEP grantees are required to submit Annual Performance Reports (APRs) that detail their project's progress and results. The APR contains three parts, linked below. More information regarding the specific APR requirements for your cohort will be provided closer to the APR due date (usually in late June).

All grantees whose grants are ending in the current fiscal year are required to submit a Final Performance Report (FPR). Further details regarding the submission of the FPR will be e-mailed to project directors closer to the FPR deadline.

If you have questions concerning the APR or FPR, need additional guidance for preparing your APR/FPR, or need instructions on submitting a paper copy of the APR/FPR, please contact the NHE Program Office at Hawaiian@ed.gov.

Government Performance Results Act (GPRA)

The GPRA measures for the Native Hawaiian Education Program are:

• The number of grantees that attain or exceed the targets for the outcome indicators for their projects that have been approved by the Secretary.
  • Fiscal Year 2020 and Beyond Grantees Only: The percentage of program participants who demonstrated substantial progress on outcomes outlined in a grantee-developed, Department-approved Logic Model. (Logic Model Measure) Grantees will report on their GPRA measures in Part 2 of the Annual Performance Report, which can be found above.
• The percentage of Native Hawaiian children participating in early education programs who consistently demonstrate school readiness in literacy as measured by the Hawaii School Readiness Assessment (HSRA). (Early Childhood Measure)
• The percentage of students in schools served by the program who graduate from high school with a regular high school diploma in four years. (Retention Measure)
• The percentage of students participating in a Native Hawaiian language program conducted under the Native Hawaiian Education Program who meet or exceed proficiency standards in reading on a test of the Native Hawaiian language. (Language Measure)

G5

• Portal through which grantees access NHE grant funds: www.g5.gov
• G5 Hotline
  • Hours of Operation: 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM EST, Monday - Friday, except on Federal holidays.
    • Toll-Free: 1-888-336-8930
    • TTY: 1-800-877-8339
    • Email: obssed@servicenowservices.com

System for Award Management (SAM)

• Website for required UEI (Unique Entity Identifier) number registration: www.sam.gov
  • The Department has a SAM Tip Sheet available here.
• SAM Hotline: 1-866-606-8220

Joanne Osborne, Program Manager/Officer

Native Hawaiian Education Program

joanne.osborne@ed.gov

Dr. Amber Williams, Program Officer

Native Achievement Programs

amber.williams@ed.gov

Krista Taylor, Program Officer

Native Achievement Programs

krista.taylor@ed.gov

Program Office Contact Information

Email: Hawaiian@ed.gov 
Phone Number: 202-245-6911

U.S. Department of Education
LBJ Federal Office Building
400 Maryland Ave. S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20202-64000