Student & Teacher Information
According to 2006-2007 data from the U.S. Department of Education (the latest numbers publicly available), the total number of CTE students in Hawaii was 64,212. This includes the following:
- Secondary: 44,758
- Postsecondary: 19,454
Delivery System/School Information
Hawaii is unique in that there is only one school district that covers all K-12 public schools and one postsecondary system that covers both community colleges and four-year colleges. Hawaii delivers CTE through 43 comprehensive high schools and seven community colleges.
Funding/Financing for CTE
Federal: Hawaii is estimated to have received $5,709,942 from the Perkins Basic State Grant and $411,510 from Tech Prep in FY 2008. Of funds distributed to local recipients by formula, 50 percent are distributed to secondary programs and 50 percent to postsecondary programs.
State: At the secondary level, the state support for CTE is approximately $17.3 million. At the postsecondary level, the support is approximately $23 million.
Key State CTE Contacts
Karla A. Jones
State Director for Career and Technical Education
Office of the State Director for Career and Technical Education
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Lunalilo Freeway Portable 1, Lower Campus Road
Honolulu, Hawaii 96822-2489
Phone: 808-956-4791
State Agencies
Hawaii has one statewide secondary system, the Hawaii State Department of Education (HSDOE), and one statewide postsecondary system, the University of Hawaii System, which includes the community colleges (UHCCS). These two systems are the two eligible recipients of the Carl D. Perkins Act funds. The State Board for Career and Technical Education, largely through its administrative arm, the Office of the State Director for Career and Technical Education (OSDCTE), maintains ongoing communications with the HSDOE and UHCCS.
Through the Career and Technical Education Coordinating Advisory Council (CTECAC), matters relating to Perkins legislation and state CTE activities are communicated and discussed at quarterly meetings. The CTECAC includes within its membership representatives from the Hawaii Board of Education; the University Of Hawaii Board Of Regents, which is also the State Board for Career and Technical Education; and the Workforce Development Council (WDC). CTECAC is the primary mechanism for state board coordination and consultation at the policy level.
State Standards for CTE
Hawaii’s secondary and postsecondary CTE systems are linked through core, cluster and concentration standards validated by business and industry for each program of study within the state’s career-pathway system. This system of shared standards allows for the articulation of secondary and postsecondary CTE programs of study. High school students can earn postsecondary credits for the successful completion of secondary-level CTE programs of study.
These CTE standards are linked to and cross-walked with Hawaii Content and Performance Standards (HCPS) at the secondary level. The HCPS are essential content and skills in nine content areas: CTE, fine arts, health, language arts, math, physical education, science, social studies and world languages. The CTE standards are based on giving students the opportunity to define their career goals, develop appropriate workplace behavior and learn how and where to search for jobs to help meet their career goals.
Program Approval/Quality Control
The Career and Technical Education Coordinating Advisory Council annually reviews the local applications submitted by the two eligible recipients and recommends that the State Board for Career and Technical Education approve the applications. Throughout the year, the Office of the State Director for Career and Technical Education provides technical assistance to the two eligible recipients as needed.
At the secondary level, each high school must use the results of a "Self-Assessment of Quality Indicators" as a basis for their one-year plan program and budget requests. The self-assessment includes curriculum, instruction, assessment and system-organization categories. The Hawaii State Department of Education then uses the completed self-assessments as the foundation for their biennial on-site review of all high school CTE programs.
Postsecondary ensures the quality of CTE programs through rigorous, multi-year comprehensive program reviews and an annual report of program data that is analyzed, reviewed and, where appropriate, reflected in updated action plans. The 30 quantitative measures (including Perkins core indicators at the program level) are in the areas of demand, efficiency and effectiveness.
The Hawaii State Department of Education (HSDOE) Perkins program administrator determines the viability of offering a particular secondary-level CTE program of study. Based on this viability, as well as workforce needs and career opportunities, the HSDOE Perkins program administrator approves the development of new secondary-level CTE programs of study, the sequencing of courses within programs of study and revisions to existing programs of study. All programs of study are implemented statewide in Hawaii’s single school district.
At the postsecondary level, CTE programs of study include all associate in science and applied science degree programs and CTE certificate programs. Proposals for new or revisions to existing postsecondary-level CTE programs of study are initiated by faculty in accordance with the requirements of national academic and professional accrediting organizations and/or in consultation with local business and industry. All CTE program-of-study proposals undergo a series of reviews by various groups/levels within the University of Hawaii System. The reviewers at each level must support the proposal before it is approved.
State Education & Workforce Agenda
In her 2008 State of the State Address, Governor Linda Lingle laid out an education and workforce agenda that would help lead Hawaii into the global economy of the 21st century. First, the governor wants a stronger commitment to STEM at the middle school, secondary and postsecondary levels. In middle and junior high schools, she proposed that students have enhanced opportunities to develop STEM skills through hands-on, project-based learning. In Hawaii’s secondary schools, the governor wants to establish STEM academies taught with the help of University of Hawaii community college instructors where students will earn both high school and college credits. At the postsecondary level, the governor wants to offer undergraduate scholarships at the University of Hawaii, or any other local college, for students who successfully complete the STEM curriculum.
Second, Hawaii is planning on expanding the current state-sponsored college savings account plan so parents can reduce their taxable income by $20,000 per year and use the money to pay for tuition at any Hawaii college, university or technical school. Finally, the governor has proposed a program for portable “Life Long Learning Accounts” to enable employees to set aside pre-tax dollars matched by tax-free employer contributions to pay for skills training and education programs.
In her 2009 State of the State address, the governor is looking to create jobs through two new initiatives. The first is to increase Hawaii’s food self-sufficiency by having state agencies like schools, prisons and hospitals buy locally grown foods. The governor wants to replace 10 percent of the food purchased in the state with locally grown foods. The second is to upgrade Hawaii’s communication infrastructure to a state-of-the-art system.
High School Redesign
Hawaii’s high school redesign plan, called the Hawaii High School Leadership Compact, is a research-based effort to move high schools away from the traditional high school structures or systems of the past. It is based on the research studies Breaking Ranks and Breaking Ranks II. The compact has three goals for high school redesign:
- Raise language arts and communications skills, along with mathematics, science and technology, problem-solving and technical skills of Hawaii’s secondary school graduates.
- Address and resolve "core priorities" as needed in each public high school in Hawaii with emphasis placed on those factors that have a direct bearing on raising student achievement levels for all students.
- Support the development of transformational leadership capabilities for Hawaii’s secondary school level leaders along with those aspiring to building leadership positions by aligning recruitment, professional growth opportunities, accountability and evaluation measures, and collegial networking opportunities.
The compact suggests that CTE should play a vital role in the redesigning of Hawaii high schools in a variety of ways. Freshmen and career academies should be developed and expanded to help ensure that students have stronger individual identities and teachers have greater interaction around development of students both academically and personally. To help students reach Hawaii’s standards of math and literacy, contextual and applied learning opportunities should be designed to inform student how skills in language and math are essential workforce requirements. Multiple strategies should be used by schools to help all students achieve their career and education goals. These strategies include:
- integrated curriculum and a wide range of approaches to solve real-world problems
- a personalized transition plan developed by every student for the high school years and beyond
- varied performance assessments as a means for demonstrating standards for graduation (such as senior projects, portfolios, community-based and higher education-based course work/experiences)
All 43 comprehensive high schools in Hawaii’s statewide secondary system have signed on to the compact.
In addition, the state of Hawaii recently joined the national American Diploma Project to ensure that all students graduate from high school prepared to face the challenges of work and college. State education officials, business executives and higher education officials are working together to raise high school standards, strengthen assessments and curriculum, and align expectations with the demands of college and work.
In Hawaii, students can graduate high school with either a regular diploma or a Board of Education Recognition Diploma. Each requires a student to pass six elective credits; four credits each of English and social studies; three credits each of math and science; and one in physical education. The Board of Education Recognition Diploma additionally requires two credits in CTE, fine arts or world languages. Starting in 2010, Hawaii will require all graduates to earn a half credit in health and a half credit for the completion of a personal transition plan. To earn a BOE Recognition Diploma, a student will have to complete a one-credit senior project.
All students, as part of their graduation requirements, will be required to prepare a personal transition plan to become aware of opportunities in postsecondary education or entry into high-skill, high-wage or high-demand occupations in current or emerging occupations.
Career Academies
Currently, there are 10 career academies in Hawaii. Career and freshmen academies are an integral part of the Hawaii High School Leadership Compact, which is the ongoing high school redesign program in Hawaii.
Role of Career Clusters
Hawaii’s Career Pathway System is composed of six pathways (Arts and Communication; Business; Health Services; Industrial and Engineering Technology; Natural Resources; and Public and Human Services) that span secondary and postsecondary systems and encompass all occupations. Hawaii’s Career Pathway System provides an ideal organizing tool for education at all levels (K-20), guides career exploration and planning activities, focuses teaching and learning, and links education with relevant real-world experiential activities.
Academic Integration
CTE and academic courses are integrated in each of the programs of study in Hawaii’s Career Pathway System. A program of study at the secondary level consists of a Hawaii Career Pathway System CTE Pathway core course, a Hawaii Career Pathway System CTE Pathway cluster course that builds on the core course and a designated academic course to ensure the integration and application of academic and technical knowledge. All secondary-level students are encouraged to enroll in a CTE Career Pathway program of study that implements the approved pathway business- and industry-validated standards. These standards promote the integration of technical skills with academic rigor as the pathway technical standards are cross-walked to academic content and performance standards.
Science, Technology, Engineering & Math Initiatives
Governor Lingle has made STEM the centerpiece of her economic and education revitalization plans. The governor wants a stronger commitment to STEM at the middle school, secondary and postsecondary levels. In middle and junior high schools, students will have enhanced opportunities to develop STEM skills through hands-on, project-based learning. In Hawaii’s secondary schools, the governor wants to establish STEM academies, taught with the help of University of Hawaii community college instructors, in which students will earn both high school and college credits. At the postsecondary level, the governor wants to offer undergraduate scholarships at the University of Hawaii, or any other local college, for students who successfully complete the STEM curriculum.
STEMHawaii and ISISHawaii are sister Web sites that gather information on federal, state and local STEM programs and provide information to teachers and students interested in STEM fields and careers. These sites were created through and run by a coalition of Hawaii secondary and postsecondary institutions, business and workforce groups and state department of education staff.
Secondary/Postsecondary Linkages
Programs of Study: Beginning in 2001, Hawaii began creating Dual Credit Articulated Programs of Study (DCAPS), which incorporate secondary and postsecondary education elements; include coherent and rigorous content aligned with challenging academic standards and relevant CTE content in a coordinated, non-duplicative progression of courses that align secondary education with postsecondary education to adequately prepare students to succeed in postsecondary education; include the opportunity for secondary education students to participate in dual- or concurrent-enrollment programs; and lead to an industry-recognized credential or certificate at the postsecondary level or an associate or baccalaureate degree. All programs of study have been developed on a statewide/system-wide basis through the Hawaii Department of Education and the University of Hawaii Community College System, along with the Office of the State Director for Career and Technical Education.
Tech Prep: Hawaii has chosen to merge its Perkins Tech Prep and Basic State Grant funding streams. Some functions of the Tech Prep funds, such as communicating best practices, will still be done through the Hawaii Career Pathway System organization, the Career and Technical Education Coordinating Advisory Council, Program Coordinating Council (PCC) meetings, CTE and Articulation Coordinators’ meetings, staff development workshops, leadership development meetings, school/campus plans and strategies and Web postings.
Dual Enrollment & Articulation: Hawaii has a single school district and single postsecondary system, so the state is very interested in establishing articulation agreements for all the Career Pathway programs of study. HSDOE and UHCCS work cooperatively to create Career Pathway program-of-study articulation agreements that utilize Career Pathway standards and assessments to ensure a smooth transition between secondary and postsecondary institutions. When a DCAPS agreement is formalized, high school students can earn postsecondary credits by successfully completing a secondary-level program of study. Currently, there are two statewide articulation agreements, for A+ and CISCO programs of study.
In addition to articulation agreements, Hawaii allows CTE students to earn college credit through the Running Start program. Running Start is a statewide program that provides an opportunity for academically qualified juniors and seniors to enroll in college classes through the University of Hawaii system as part of their high school coursework. This partnership between the HSDOE and the University of Hawaii System allows public high school students to attend college classes during the fall, spring and summer while earning both high school and college credits. Currently, nine UH campuses participate in Running Start: UH Hilo, UH West Oahu and the seven community colleges: Hawaii CC, Honolulu CC, Kapi‘olani CC, Kaua‘i CC, Leeward CC, Maui CC and Windward CC. Effective Spring 2008, all UH courses at or above the 100 level are available to Running Start students, provided the student meets any individual course prerequisites. Students can earn credit in courses in all six of Hawaii’s Career Pathways.
One tool that Hawaii uses to identify obstacles that arise during the transition from secondary to postsecondary education is HI-PASS (Hawaii Partnership for Achieving Student Success). Based on California’s Cal-PASS, HI-PASS gathers and analyzes data as students move from secondary institutions to postsecondary institutions to see where problems occur. This information is used by secondary and postsecondary faculty to make changes, overcome obstacles to transition and completion, and promote best practices. HI-PASS is also used to align curricula at the secondary and postsecondary levels.
High school and community college faculty have worked together to align English, Algebra I, Algebra II and geometry curricula and are now working on aligning science curricula. Algebra I is the same at the high school and community college levels.
Career Guidance & Advisement
Hawaii, working with Kuder, has created the Hawaii Career Planning System to help students and adults develop and reach their career goals. This site provides access to online career and education assessment tools, career exploration and planning materials, job search resources and skill-development exercises.
The University of Hawaii Community College system created the Career Connections Web site to help secondary and postsecondary students explore career pathways, discover the fastest growing jobs in Hawaii and nationally, practice being interviewed and create a network to help students begin their careers.
All students at the secondary level, as part of their graduation requirements, will be required to prepare a personal transition plan to become aware of opportunities in postsecondary education or entry into high-skill, high-wage or high-demand occupations in current or emerging fields.
Technical Skills Assessments
At the secondary level, Hawaii is planning to use statewide assessments approved by CTE Career Pathway Advisory Councils (PACS). The written and/or performance-based assessments will be based on business and industry standards. Currently, the plan is to have the assessment at the end of the program of study, but there may also be assessments after the secondary-level core course. Hawaii is planning on approving assessments for all 30 programs of study over a six-year period.
Business & Industry Involvement
Hawaii utilizes CTE Career Pathway Advisory Councils to guide system development. These PACs are composed of a majority membership of business and industry representatives along with postsecondary and HSDOE representatives who provide direction for system initiatives, such as the development of standards, assessments, curriculum, professional development and training. The PACs approve the standards, as well as the assessments, for programs of study, so students will truly have mastered the skills needed for more advanced training or employment. These PACs have been, and will continue to be, instrumental in building Hawaii’s cohesive and progressive Career Pathway System.
Educator Development
In Hawaii, the Office of the State Director for Career and Technical Education coordinates statewide professional development. In the next few years, these activities will focus on CTE leadership efforts that may include helping educators assist students in meeting the state performance levels for the core indicators, incorporating high standards into the curriculum, showcasing best practices in the classroom, improving business and community involvement and ensuring that educators stay current with industry trends. Findings from the Hawaii state CTE survey will be used to prioritize professional development topics that will lead to improved retention and broader application of Career Pathways.
The state director for career and technical education is a member of the University of Hawaii Career and Technical Education Advisory Council that is carrying out a comprehensive overview of CTE programs within the College of Education.
Among the topics to be addressed by the council are:
- creating an adequacy of resources for CTE
- increasing the number of CTE faculty and placing a special focus on technology for meeting program-delivery needs
- developing a new model for preparing CTE educators that focuses on workforce-development needs, integrated and contextual teaching and learning, industry and education internship experiences, higher levels of academic excellence and content mastery, and community-development needs
- formalizing a partnership between the College of Education and the UHCCS, expanding the range of CTE-focused in-service professional-development courses, seminars and programs
Coming soon!
This state profile was developed by the Association for Career and Technical Education with the assistance of the Meeder Consulting Group LLC. If you need further information or more specific details, please contact ACTE. Customized reports can be developed on specific topics or entities.
Last Updated: April 21, 2009