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Matua Advisory Council presents Fa'asamoa Initiative progress; board hears NHPI student outcomes gains
Summary
The Matua Advisory Council and Fa'asamoa Initiative presented literacy and outreach strategies that staff and panelists say contributed to measured gains for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students; the board and panelists emphasized data disaggregation and city partnership funding options.
A panel from the Matua Advisory Council and the Fa'asamoa Initiative presented progress to the Board of Education Tuesday, describing efforts to boost literacy and engagement for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) students. Panelists cited coordinated community partnerships, distribution of culturally relevant books, targeted outreach and instructional coaching as contributors to recent gains shown in district progress‑monitoring data.
Anna Mahina (special education liaison) and other panelists outlined four recommendations: disaggregate NHPI data in progress monitoring, involve MAC in decision spaces affecting the community, support student‑led cultural showcases, and explore sustainable funding through city partnerships and grants. Staff responses agreed the recommendations were feasible and described current and planned steps to implement them, including maintaining data disaggregation in monitoring reports and seeking mixed funding sources.
Board members asked follow‑up questions about the causes of observed proficiency increases and how to protect initiatives during budget constraints. Staff and panelists attributed gains to placing qualified teachers in classrooms, adding instructional coaching, and community programs like distribution of 2,000 culturally relevant books and local events that bolstered reading engagement.
The board thanked panelists for the community partnership and asked staff to continue to protect and prioritize the Fa'asamoa Initiative amid broader budget decisions.
What happens next: staff agreed to continue including NHPI data in progress monitoring and to work with MAC and community‑based organizations to identify sustainable funding and pathways to protect key positions and programs.
