Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 31, Number 9, 1 September 2014 — OHA AWARDS $1.5 MILLION TO CHARTER SCHOOLS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OHA AWARDS $1.5 MILLION TO CHARTER SCHOOLS

By Harold Nedd Trastees for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs have awarded a $1.5 million grant to charter schools with a special emphasis on Native Hawaiian language, culture and traditions. The OHA grant is expected over the next year to help the 17 Hawaiian-focused charter schools - whieh make up Nā Lei Na'auao Native Hawaiian Charter School Allianee - cover expenses from teaching and feeding students as well as transporting them to school. The OHA grant to the allianee comes at a time when Hawaiian-focused charter schools are scrambling to keep paee with continuing growing enrollment, whieh climbed this year to 4,224 from 4,033 the year before. In the 2013-2014 school year, there were 3,202 Native Hawaiian students attending the schools, compris-

ing 76 percent of enrollment. The grant also reflects a top priority at OHA to increase the achievement levels of Native Hawaiian students. Since 2010, OHA's Board of Trustees has approved $7.5 million in grant money for Hawaiian-focused charter schools. "Our support for Hawaiian-focused charter schools is one of the best investments we ean make in our children's future," said OHA Chairperson Colette Machado. "We are extremely encouraged by the efforts of Hawaiian-focused charter schools."

Meahilahila Kelling, director of Ke Kula 'o Samuel M. Kamakau, a kindergarten through 12th-grade charter school in Kāne'ohe, expects the OHA grant to provide the allianee with a muehneeded boost in the 2014-2015 school year. "We are extremely grateful for the continued support of the OHA trustees and staff," Kelling said. "OHA's continued investment in the Hawaiian-focused puhlie charter schools will help us to further our missions and positively impact Native Hawaiian youth." ■

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Since 201 0, OHA has pumped $7.5 million in grantfunds inlo Hawaiian-focused charter schools, including Ka Waihona o Ka Na'auao Charter School, pictured. - Photo: Courtesy ofKa Waihona o Ka Haauao Charter School

School Year 2013-2014 Enrollment in 17 Hawaiian-Focused Gharter Schools

Source: Ha Lei Ha'auao Hative Hawaiian Charter School Allianee

SCHOOL LOCATION ENROLLMENT Ka 'Umeke Ka'eo Hawaii 275 Kanu o ka 'Aina Hawaii 268 Ke Ana La'ahana Hawaii 51 Ke Kula 'o NawahTokalani'opu'u Hawaii 264 Kua o ka La Hawaii 283 Waimea Middle School Hawaii 280 Kanuikapono Kauai 150 Kawaikini Kauai 123 Ke Kula Ni'ihau o Kekaha Kauai 38 Kula Aupuni Niihau A Kahelelani Aloha Kauai 62 Kualapu'u Elementary Moloka'i 349 Hakipu'u Learning Center O'ahu 61 Halau Ku Mana O'ahu 121 Halau Lokahi O'ahu 183 Ka Waihona o ka Na'auao O'ahu 633 Kamaile Academy O'ahu 931 Ke Kula 'o Samuel M. Kamakau O'ahu 152 TOTAL 4,224